The following is the text of a news release from SAFE Boats International:
(BREMERTON, Wash.) — SAFE Boats International, a manufacturer of high-performance aluminum boats, has completed the first coastal interceptor vessel (CIV) on contract from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO).
A ceremony was held at SAFE Boats International facilities on May 26 to name the vessel Alexandria as well as celebrate the first CIV as the company’s 2,000th delivered craft. Invitees to the event included CBP officials, congressional staff members, local government officials and businesspeople, equipment suppliers and media. Following the acceptance of this first vessel, AMO intends to acquire up to 52 of the new CIVs to meet emerging Department of Homeland Security mission requirements. The contract, should all options be executed, is valued at over $48 million.
The CIV is a 41-foot rugged and highly maneuverable vessel, capable of high-speed interceptions in close proximity to other vessels as well as open ocean speeds at well over 54 knots. The CIV can be configured for a number of mission operations including pursuing suspect vessels for the purpose of boarding, searching, and when necessary, arresting violators and seizing the suspect vessel and contraband. SAFE Boat’s CIV is specifically configured to provide AMO marine interdiction agents a safe working platform with outstanding performance, sea keeping and mission capabilities.
The AMO CIV is a variant of the SAFE 41 Interceptor, a reliable and proven commercially available design currently in service with the Royal Bahamian Police, Royal Gibraltar Defense Forces, Colombian Navy and a number of private owners.
“SAFE Boats is honored to be delivering our milestone 2000th hull as the first coastal interceptor vessel to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, whose vital mission is to defend our great country,” said Dennis Morris, president and CEO. “This is the next phase in a longstanding relationship we have with CBP dating back to 2002, and we are optimistic that other international defense agencies will be interested in the vessel for similar mission requirements.”
