Bollinger delivers new cutter to Coast Guard

Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the USCGC John McCormick, the 21st fast response cutter, to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Ben Bordelon, Bollinger president and CEO, said the McCormick will be stationed in the 17th Coast Guard District in Ketchikan, Alaska, and will assist in defending the nation’s interests in the Alaskan maritime region.
"We are very proud that the FRCs already in commission have seized multiple tons of narcotics, interdicted thousands of undocumented aliens and saved many lives," Bordelon said. "We are also very proud of the fact that our FRC program has surpassed all historical quality benchmarks resulting in truly exceptional vessels that will serve our Nation for many years to come.”
The 154-foot patrol craft has been described as an operational “game changer” by senior Coast Guard officials. Previous cutters have been stationed in the 7th Coast Guard District in Florida or San Juan, Puerto Rico, and two have been stationed in the 5th Coast Guard District in Cape May, New Jersey.
To build the FRC, Bollinger used an in-service parent craft design based on the Damen Stan Patrol Boat 4708. It has a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art command, control, communications and computer technology, and a stern launch system for the vessel’s 26-foot cutter boat.