Metal Shark Wins Contract for Patrol Cutters

Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark has been selected by the U.S. Navy to build Near Coastal Patrol Vessels (NCPVs) for partner nations through the Foreign Military Sales program. Metal Shark’s proposal was selected by Naval Sea Systems Command from a field of six competing shipyards.

Under the terms of the award, which is worth as much as $54 million, Metal Shark will build up to thirteen 85-foot Defiant-class aluminum cutters for the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and other United States partner nations. Additionally, Metal Shark will supply electro-optical infrared sensors, diagnostic equipment, in-country reactivation, crew familiarization and test support to NCPV operators.

The new vessels are based on Damen Shipyards’ Stan Patrol 2606 design, tailored by Metal Shark to suit the requirements of the NCPV mission. Metal Shark says that the cutter can accommodate a wide range of mission profiles including search and rescue, border patrol, customs duties and counter-narcotics operations.

“The NCPV award is the first result of a multi-year collaboration between Damen and Metal Shark,” said Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard. “The Damen team has consistently provided us with outstanding technical support, their designs are thoroughly proven in service across a range of markets, and their global service network has proven to be a very powerful selling feature.”

The NCPV fleet will be built at Metal Shark’s Franklin, Louisiana shipyard, which recently completed the speedy delivery of six 88-foot passenger vessels for New York City’s new NYC Ferry Service.

The firm is also building 500 of the Response Boat – Small (RB-S) for the U.S. Coast Guard, 80 of the Force Protection Boat – Medium (FPB-M) for the U.S. Navy, four 88-foot passenger vessels for the Potomac Riverboat Company of Washington, DC and two 105-foot passenger ferries for the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority.