# Marine Protector-class patrol boat

The Marine Protector-class patrol boat is a type of coastal patrol boat of the United States Coast Guard. The 87-foot-long (27 m) vessels with hull based on the Stan 2600 design by Damen Group. The mother and daughter launch and recovery and other features of the design by David M. Cannell & Associates (now https://www.dmcmarine.com) developed for the fishery patrol vessel Protector II. 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, USCGC Sea Fox, 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 Point class, 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. The transferred vessels will be operated by the Philippine Navy.

## 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 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph).
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.
Sea Devil and Sea Fox are assigned to guard a United States Navy submarine base in Kings Bay, Georgia, replacing the decommissioned Sea Dragon and Sea Dog at that station. Sea Devil and Sea Fox 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

| Name | Hull Number | Homeport | Status |
| USCGC Barracuda | WPB-87301 | Eureka, California | Active |
| USCGC Hammerhead | WPB-87302 | Woods Hole, Massachusetts | |
| USCGC Mako | WPB-87303 | Cape May, New Jersey | |
| USCGC Marlin | WPB-87304 | Fort Myers Beach, Florida | |
| USCGC Stingray | WPB-87305 | Mobile, Alabama | |
| USCGC Dorado | WPB-87306 | Crescent City, California | Decommissioned on 25 May 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy. |
| USCGC Osprey | WPB-87307 | Port Townsend, Washington | |
| USCGC Chinook | WPB-87308 | New London, Connecticut | |
| USCGC Albacore | WPB-87309 | New London, Connecticut | Decommissioned on 6 April 2021. Donated to Uruguay, renamed ROU Rio Arapey. |
| USCGC Tarpon | WPB-87310 | Tybee Island, Georgia | |
| USCGC Cobia | WPB-87311 | Mobile, Alabama | |
| USCGC Hawksbill | WPB-87312 | Monterey, California | |
| USCGC Cormorant | WPB-87313 | South Padre Island, Texas | Decommissioned |
| USCGC Finback | WPB-87314 | Cape May, New Jersey | |
| USCGC Amberjack | WPB-87315 | South Padre Island, Texas | |
| USCGC Kittiwake | WPB-87316 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Decommissioned on 7 June 2021. |
| USCGC Blackfin | WPB-87317 | Santa Barbara, California | |
| USCGC Bluefin | WPB-87318 | Fort Pierce, Florida | |
| USCGC Yellowfin | WPB-87319 | Charleston, South Carolina | |
| USCGC Manta | WPB-87320 | Freeport, Texas | Decommissioned on 7 June 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy. |
| USCGC Coho | WPB-87321 | Panama City, Florida | |
| USCGC Kingfisher | WPB-87322 | Mayport, Florida | |
| USCGC Seahawk | WPB-87323 | | |
| USCGC Steelhead | WPB-87324 | Port Aransas, Texas | |
| USCGC Beluga | WPB-87325 | Little Creek, Virginia | |
| USCGC Blacktip | WPB-87326 | Oxnard, California | |
| USCGC Pelican | WPB-87327 | Abbeville, Louisiana | |
| USCGC Ridley | WPB-87328 | Montauk, New York | |
| USCGC Cochito | WPB-87329 | Little Creek, Virginia | Decommissioned on 11 May 2021. Donated to Uruguay, renamed ROU Rio De La Plata. |
| USCGC Manowar | WPB-87330 | Mobile, Alabama | |
| USCGC Moray | WPB-87331 | Jonesport, Maine | |
| USCGC Razorbill | WPB-87332 | Gulfport, Mississippi | |
| USCGC Adelie | WPB-87333 | Port Angeles, Washington | |
| USCGC Gannet | WPB-87334 | Dania, Florida | Decommissioned on 20 April 2021. Donated to Uruguay, renamed ROU Rio Yaguaron. |
| USCGC Narwhal | WPB-87335 | Corona Del Mar, California | |
| USCGC Sturgeon | WPB-87336 | Grand Isle, Louisiana | |
| USCGC Sockeye | WPB-87337 | Bodega Bay, California | |
| USCGC Ibis | WPB-87338 | Cape May, New Jersey | |
| USCGC Pompano | WPB-87339 | Gulfport, Mississippi | |
| USCGC Halibut | WPB-87340 | Marina Del Rey, California | |
| USCGC Bonito | WPB-87341 | Pensacola, Florida | |
| USCGC Shrike | WPB-87342 | Port Canaveral, Florida | |
| USCGC Tern | WPB-87343 | San Francisco, California | |
| USCGC Heron | WPB-87344 | Sabine Pass, Texas | |
| USCGC Wahoo | WPB-87345 | Port Angeles, Washington | |
| USCGC Flying Fish | WPB-87346 | Boston, Massachusetts | |
| USCGC Haddock | WPB-87347 | San Diego, California | |
| USCGC Brant | WPB-87348 | Corpus Christi, Texas | Decommissioned on 17 March 2022 |
| USCGC Shearwater | WPB-87349 | Portsmouth, Virginia | Decommissioned on 27 April 2021. Donated to the Lebanese navy. |
| USCGC Petrel | 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 P51. |
| | P52 | | Malta Maritime Squadron P52 |
| USCGC Sea Lion | WPB-87352 | Bellingham, Washington | |
| USCGC Skipjack | WPB-87353 | Galveston, Texas | |
| USCGC Dolphin | WPB-87354 | Miami, Florida | |
| USCGC Hawk | WPB-87355 | St. Petersburg, Florida | |
| USCGC Sailfish | WPB-87356 | Sandy Hook, New Jersey | |
| USCGC Sawfish | WPB-87357 | Key West, Florida | |
| USCGC Swordfish | WPB-87358 | Port Angeles, Washington | |
| USCGC Tiger Shark | WPB-87359 | Newport, Rhode Island | |
| USCGC Blue Shark | WPB-87360 | Everett, Washington | |
| USCGC Sea Horse | WPB-87361 | Portsmouth, Virginia | |
| USCGC Sea Otter | WPB-87362 | San Diego, California | |
| USCGC Manatee | WPB-87363 | Corpus Christi, Texas | |
| USCGC Ahi | WPB-87364 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Decommissioned on 7 June 2021. |
| USCGC Pike | WPB-87365 | Petersburg, Alaska | |
| USCGC Terrapin | WPB-87366 | Bellingham, Washington | |
| USCGC Sea Dragon | WPB-87367 | | Decommissioned 29 May 2024 at St. Marys, Georgia and transferred to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. |
| USCGC Sea Devil | WPB-87368 | Kings Bay, Georgia | In active service as of May 29, 2024. |
| USCGC Crocodile | WPB-87369 | St Petersburg, Florida | |
| USCGC Diamondback | WPB-87370 | Miami Beach, Florida | |
| USCGC Reef Shark | WPB-87371 | Juneau, Alaska | |
| USCGC Alligator | WPB-87372 | St. Petersburg, Florida | |
| USCGC Sea Dog | WPB-87373 | | Decommissioned 29 May 2024 at St. Marys, Georgia and transferred to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. |
| USCGC Sea Fox | 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. |