Metal Shark recently launched the patrol vessel ‘Berbice’ (1039), a 115 Defiant class ship, built for the Guyana Defense Force.
The launching ceremony took place at the shipbuilder’s yard in Franklin, Louisiana, on August 2nd.
CEO of Metal Shark, Chris Allard, stated that the new 115 Defiant will help safeguard Guyana’s burgeoning oil and gas industry.
It is expected to be a game changer for regional security and is already generating significant interest from naval forces across the Caribbean and Latin America.
Once the final outfitting phase and crew training are completed, the Berbice will be formally handed over to the Coast Guard of the South American nation, becoming the first user of the 115 Defiant class.
The 115 Defiant is one of the latest models in Metal Shark’s Defiant patrol and service vessels series.
It’s a next-generation monohull ship, constructed from welded aluminum, measuring 35 meters in length and 8.4 meters in width.
It is powered by two Caterpillar C32 1,600 horsepower diesel engines, providing a cruising speed of 12 knots and a maximum speed of over 20 knots.
With a cruising speed, the ship has a range of 2,000 nautical miles and can operate for ten days with a crew of 24.
It also carries a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) on the aft deck, powered by two 50 horsepower outboard engines, and capable of transporting up to ten people.