The Marine Protector-class patrol boat is a type of coastal patrol boat of the United States Coast Guard. The vessels with hull based on the Stan 2600 design by Damen Group. The vessels were built by Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, Louisiana. Almost all of these boats have been delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard, which has named them after sea creatures that fly or swim. Four have been delivered to Malta and Yemen.

History

The Coast Guard placed its original order in 1999 for 50 boats, which were delivered by mid-2002. Several additional orders brought the class to a total of 77 ships. Seventy-five were delivered under the original Coast Guard contract with Bollinger, with the last, , being completed in October 2009. Two of these were delivered to the Maritime Squadron of Malta. A separate Coast Guard contract built two additional patrol boats for the Yemen Coast Guard.

The Marine Protector class replaced the 82-foot , which had smaller accommodations and had to stop to deploy its pursuit inflatable boat via crane. The last Point-class cutter was decommissioned in 2003.

In 2020, the Department of Homeland Security began to decommission the fleet, with eight Marine Protector cutters replaced by newer Sentinel class cutters.

In May 2021, the United States announced that it would send three decommissioned ships to the Lebanese Navy

In 2022, three decommissioned ships, Albacore, Cochito, and Gannet were donated to the Uruguayan Navy under the Excess Defense Articles program. As part of the transfer deal, Uruguay spent $4.99 million to refurbish the ships, on spare parts, and to train their crews. They were renamed Rio Arapey, Rio De La Plata, and Rio Yaguaron.

In 2023, the United States delivered two former Coast Guard Marine Protector-class ships to the Ghanaian Navy. They were commissioned as GNS Aflao and GNS Half Assini.

In May 2023, the United States government pledged to provide the Philippines at least two Marine Protector vessels, as well as two Island-class patrol boat and three Lockheed C-130H Hercules during President Bongbong Marcos' visit to Washington, D.C.

General characteristics

Missions include combating drug smuggling, illegal immigration, marine fisheries enforcement and search and rescue support. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, many have had a homeland security mission in the form of ports, waterways and coastal security (PWCS) patrols.

Boarding parties can be launched while the vessel is underway through the cutter's stern launching ramp. The attached rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) has been upgraded in an effort to increase speed and sea state sustainability for boarding parties and rescue and assistance teams. The stern launching system requires only a single crew member to remain on deck to launch or retrieve the boarding party.

The vessels consume approximately 165 gallons of diesel per hour at their maximum speed of .

Like all new U.S. Coast Guard vessels, the Marine Protector class is designed to accommodate crews of mixed gender with five separate small berthing spaces accommodating standard crews of ten with maximum berthing for 12.

and are assigned to guard a United States Navy submarine base in Kings Bay, Georgia, replacing the decommissioned and at that station. and earlier guarded another submarine base in Bangor, Washington. An additional machine gun operated by remote control was added to all four for this duty.

Boats in class

Image Name Hull Number Homeport Status WPB-87301 Eureka, California Active WPB-87302 Woods Hole, Massachusetts WPB-87303 Cape May, New Jersey WPB-87304 Fort Myers Beach, Florida Decommissioned and transferred to Philippine Coast Guard in 2026. Renamed BRP Pag-asa (PATS-2701). WPB-87305 Mobile, Alabama WPB-87306 Crescent City, California Decommissioned on 25 May 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy. WPB-87307 Port Townsend, Washington WPB-87308 New London, Connecticut WPB-87309 New London, Connecticut Decommissioned on 6 April 2021. Donated to Uruguay, renamed ROU Rio Arapey. WPB-87310 Tybee Island, Georgia Decommissioned, transferred to MCAS Cherry Point WPB-87311 Mobile, Alabama WPB-87312 Monterey, California WPB-87313 South Padre Island, Texas Decommissioned WPB-87314 Cape May, New Jersey WPB-87315 South Padre Island, Texas WPB-87316 Honolulu, Hawaii Decommissioned on 7 June 2021. WPB-87317 Santa Barbara, California WPB-87318 Fort Pierce, Florida Decommissioned and transferred to Philippine Coast Guard in 2026. Renamed BRP Patag (PATS-2702). WPB-87319 Charleston, South Carolina WPB-87320 Freeport, Texas Decommissioned on 7 June 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy. WPB-87321 Panama City, Florida WPB-87322 Mayport, Florida WPB-87323 WPB-87324 Port Aransas, Texas WPB-87325 Little Creek, Virginia WPB-87326 Oxnard, California WPB-87327 Abbeville, Louisiana WPB-87328 Montauk, New York WPB-87329 Little Creek, Virginia Decommissioned on 11 May 2021. Donated to Uruguay, renamed ROU Rio De La Plata. WPB-87330 Mobile, Alabama WPB-87331 Jonesport, Maine WPB-87332 Gulfport, Mississippi WPB-87333 Port Angeles, Washington WPB-87334 Dania, Florida Decommissioned on 20 April 2021. Donated to Uruguay, renamed ROU Rio Yaguaron. WPB-87335 Corona Del Mar, California WPB-87336 Grand Isle, Louisiana WPB-87337 Bodega Bay, California WPB-87338 Cape May, New Jersey WPB-87339 Gulfport, Mississippi WPB-87340 Marina Del Rey, California WPB-87341 Pensacola, Florida WPB-87342 Port Canaveral, Florida WPB-87343 San Francisco, California WPB-87344 Sabine Pass, Texas WPB-87345 Port Angeles, Washington WPB-87346 Boston, Massachusetts WPB-87347 San Diego, California WPB-87348 Corpus Christi, Texas Decommissioned on 17 March 2022 WPB-87349 Portsmouth, Virginia Decommissioned on 27 April 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy. WPB-87350 San Diego, California P51 Hull number 87351 was assigned to a vessel that was given to the Malta Maritime Squadron, where it became . P52 Malta Maritime Squadron WPB-87352 Bellingham, Washington WPB-87353 Galveston, Texas WPB-87354 Miami, Florida WPB-87355 St. Petersburg, Florida WPB-87356 Sandy Hook, New Jersey WPB-87357 Key West, Florida WPB-87358 Port Angeles, Washington WPB-87359 Newport, Rhode Island WPB-87360 Everett, Washington WPB-87361 Portsmouth, Virginia WPB-87362 San Diego, California WPB-87363 Corpus Christi, Texas WPB-87364 Honolulu, HawaiiDecommissioned on 7 June 2021. WPB-87365 Petersburg, Alaska WPB-87366 Bellingham, Washington WPB-87367Decommissioned 29 May 2024 at St. Marys, Georgia and transferred to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. WPB-87368 Kings Bay, Georgia In active service as of May 29, 2024. WPB-87369 St Petersburg, Florida WPB-87370 Miami Beach, Florida WPB-87371 Juneau, Alaska WPB-87372 St. Petersburg, Florida WPB-87373 Decommissioned 29 May 2024 at St. Marys, Georgia and transferred to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. WPB-87374 Kings Bay, Georgia In active service as of May 29, 2024. Sana'a Yemen Coast Guard vessel. Reportedly sunk by a mine on 9 March 2017. Aden Yemen Coast Guard vessel.

References

External links Globalsecurity.org – WPB 87' Marine Protector Class U.S. Coast Guard: 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat (WPB) – Marine Protector Class Bollinger Shipyards: USCG 87' “Marine Protector Class” Patrol Boats (CPB) > Principle Characteristics