Posted on May 15, 2024
The U.S. Coast Guard has exercised a contract option to award Bollinger Shipyards two additional Sentinel-class fast response cutters (FRCs). This announcement brings the number of FRCs awarded to Bollinger up to 67 since the program’s inception. To date, the Coast Guard has commissioned 55 FRCs into operational service.
“We’re incredibly proud of our long history supporting the U.S. Coast Guard that now stretches four decades,” said Bollinger Shipyards President and CEO Ben Bordelon. “Our unique experience building for the Coast Guard is unparalleled and has shown time and time again that we can successfully deliver the highest quality and most capable vessels. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Coast Guard.”
Both FRCs will be built at Bollinger’s Lockport, La., facility that supports over 650 direct jobs in Lafourche Parish out of the nearly 4,000 shipbuilders supporting Bollinger’s 13 facilities across Louisiana and Mississippi.
“This program isn’t just an economic benefit for our region, but a national security priority that continues to enjoy the support of a bipartisan, bicameral coalition in the United States Congress,” Bordelon said. “That being said, these additional vessels allow for the continued prosperity and economic well-being for over 650 families in south Louisiana. The hard-working men and woman of Bollinger Shipyards take tremendous pride in every single vessel we build and deliver for the U.S. government knowing we’re helping to keep our homeland safe.”
The FRC program has had an economic impact of over $2 billion since inception in material spending and directly supports more than 650 jobs in southeast Louisiana. The program has indirectly created 1,690 new jobs from operations and capital investment and has an annual economic impact on gross domestic product of $202 million, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MarAd) on the economic importance of the U.S. shipbuilding and repair industry. Bollinger sources over 271,000 different items for the FRC consisting of 282 million components and parts from 965 suppliers in 37 states.
In addition to the construction of the FRC, Bollinger is contracted to build the polar security cutter for the Coast Guard; the towing, salvage and rescue ship (T-ATS); the auxiliary personnel lighter (APL); the newest oceanographic survey ship (T-AGS 67); and the mine countermeasures unmanned surface vessels (MCM USV) for the U.S. Navy.
Bollinger is also building three regional class research vessels (RCRV) for the National Science Foundation through Oregon State University.
– Bollinger Shipyards
