The U.S. Coast Guard recently awarded Louisiana-based Bordelon Marine, a provider of offshore support and subsea services, a contract for a commercial support vessel that will transport supplies, equipment and personnel to Coast Guard cutters operating in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and other maritime areas in the Western Hemisphere.
The vessel will be a fully crewed commercial vessel operated by civilian mariners under the direction of a Coast Guard crew and must be capable of transporting supplies, equipment and mission-essential personnel in support of Coast Guard operations. Under the contract, Bordelon Marine will be responsible for vessel operations and maintenance, and Coast Guard personnel will coordinate logistics and support mission execution.
“As demands on the Coast Guard continue to grow, we must find innovative ways to sustain our fleet and keep our crews focused on the mission,” Vice Adm. Nate Moore, Coast Guard deputy commandant for operations, said. “Homeland Security Cutter-Ocean will help us deliver critical supplies and personnel more efficiently while increasing the endurance and effectiveness of our operational forces.”
The contract supports the Coast Guard’s Homeland Security Cutter-Ocean initiative that aims to strengthen fleet readiness by using commercially operated vessels to provide logistics support to cutters while they remain at sea.