The Marine Protector class is a class of coastal patrol boats of the United States Coast Guard. The 87-foot-long vessels are based on the Stan 2600 design by Damen Group, and were built by Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, Louisiana. Each boat is named after sea creatures which fly or swim[3]

The Coast Guard placed its original order in 1999 for 50 boats, which were delivered by mid-2002.[4] Several additional orders brought the class to a total of 74 ships, with the last, USCGC Sea Fox, being completed in October 2009.[3][5][6] Four additional vessels were built for Foreign Military Sales, with two each going to Malta and Yemen.[7]

In May 2021, The United States announced that it would be sending three ships to the Lebanese Navy[8]

The Marine Protector class replaced the 82-foot Point class. These older boats had one small and one large berthing area, and they had to stop for five or more minutes to deploy or retrieve their pursuit inflatable boat via a small crane. The last Point-class cutter was decommissioned in 2003.[9][10]

In 2020 the Department of Homeland Security proposed a budget for the Coast Guard for 2021 where 8 Marine Protector cutters would be decommissioned, as their missions could be taken by new Sentinel class cutters.[11]

In May 2023, the United States government pledged to provide the Philippines at least two Marine Protector vessels which has agreed by both sides, as it has offered alongside two Island-class patrol boat and three Lockheed C-130H Hercules during President Bongbong Marcos' visit to Washington D.C.[12][13] The recipient of the transferred vessels will be the Philippine Navy.[14]

General characteristics

Missions include combating drug smuggling, illegal immigration, marine fisheries enforcement and search and rescue support. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks many have a homeland security mission in the form of ports waterways and coastal security (PWCS) patrols.[15]

Boarding parties can be launched while the vessel is underway, through the cutter's stern launching ramp.[3] The attached rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) has been upgraded since the initial inception of this class of cutter, in an effort to increase speed and sea state sustainability for boarding parties and rescue and assistance teams. The stern launching system requires just a single crewmember to remain on deck to launch or retrieve the boarding party.

Their high-speed pursuit boat uses the same diesel fuel as the cutters.[3]

The cutters consume approximately 165 gallons of diesel per hour at their maximum speed of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph).

Like all new U.S. Coast Guard vessels, the Marine Protector class are designed to accommodate crews of mixed gender with five separate small berthing spaces accommodating standard crews of ten with maximum berthing for 12.[3]

Sea Dragon and Sea Dog assigned to guard a United States Navy submarine base in Kings Bay, Georgia, and Sea Devil and Sea Fox guard another submarine base in Bangor, Washington, mount an additional machine gun, one operated by remote control.[3]

Boats in class

Image Name Hull Number Builder Commissioned Homeport Status

USCG WPB 87301 Barracuda - at speed.jpg USCGC Barracuda WPB-87301 Bollinger Shipyards 1998 Eureka, California Active

The USCGC Hammerhead (WPB-87302) played a role in burying JFK Jr. -a.jpg USCGC Hammerhead WPB-87302 Woods Hole, Massachusetts

USCGC Mako transits the Cape May Canal -b.jpg USCGC Mako WPB-87303 Cape May, New Jersey

Coast-Guard-Cutter-Marlin.jpg USCGC Marlin WPB-87304 Fort Myers Beach, Florida

USCGC Stingray (WPB-87305) -a.jpg USCGC Stingray WPB-87305 Mobile, Alabama

United States Coast Guard Cutter DORADO (WPB 87306).jpg USCGC Dorado WPB-87306 1999 Crescent City, California Decommissioned on March 10, 2021

USCGC Osprey (WPB-87307) patrols Puget Sound.jpg USCGC Osprey WPB-87307 Port Townsend, Washington

Coast Guard Yard dry-docks Cutter Chinook -a.jpg USCGC Chinook WPB-87308 New London, Connecticut

Lifting the USCGC Albacore (WPB-87308) out of the water, for maintenance - 150902-G-ZV332-003.jpg USCGC Albacore WPB-87309 New London, Connecticut Sold to Uruguay.[16]

USCGC Tarpon.jpg USCGC Tarpon WPB-87310 Tybee Island, Georgia

USCGC Cobia (WPB-87311).jpg USCGC Cobia WPB-87311 Mobile, Alabama

Marine Protector off Alameda.jpg USCGC Hawksbill WPB-87312 Monterey, California

Aerial view of the USCGC Cormorant (WPB-87313).jpg USCGC Cormorant WPB-87313 Fort Pierce, Florida

USCGC Finback (WPB-87314), at speed.jpg USCGC Finback WPB-87314 Cape May, New Jersey

USCGC Amberjack (WPB-87315) moored at South Padre Island -- 2001-02-07.jpg USCGC Amberjack WPB-87315 South Padre Island, Texas

USCGC Kittiwake, near Keehi Lagoon, Hawaii, in 2008.jpg USCGC Kittiwake WPB-87316 Honolulu, Hawaii

USCGC Blackfin counters Greenpeace.jpg USCGC Blackfin WPB-87317 Santa Barbara, California

USCGC Bluefin.jpg USCGC Bluefin WPB-87318 Fort Pierce, Florida

Coast Guard Cutter Yellowfin moored at the pier of Sector Charleston in Charleston, S.C..jpg USCGC Yellowfin WPB-87319 Charleston, South Carolina

USCGC Manta (WPD-87320) carrying visitors on a tour of the Houston Ship Channel - 2016-04-21.jpg USCGC Manta WPB-87320 Freeport, Texas

Crane hoists the USCGC Coho (cropped).jpg USCGC Coho WPB-87321 Panama City, Florida

USCGC Kingfisher in front of the Sidney Lanier Bridge.jpg USCGC Kingfisher WPB-87322 Mayport, Florida

USCGC Seahawk 2007-10-31 -b.jpg USCGC Seahawk WPB-87323 Carrabelle, Florida

USCGC Steelhead & 41' (539142716).jpg USCGC Steelhead WPB-87324 Port Aransas, Texas

USCGC Beluga in Portsmouth, VA, 2011-08-06.jpg USCGC Beluga WPB-87325 Little Creek, Virginia

Something crowded the stern of the USCGC Blacktip on 2004-01-21 -b.jpg USCGC Blacktip WPB-87326 Oxnard, California

USCGC Pelican, decorated with flags, on her commissioning day, 2001-01-08 -a.jpg USCGC Pelican WPB-87327 Abbeville, Louisiana

USCGC Ridley (WPB 87328), patrols the Lower New York Bay -- 080521-G-8732C-020 (cropped).jpg USCGC Ridley WPB-87328 Montauk, New York

USCGC COCHITO (WPB 87329) -a.jpg USCGC Cochito WPB-87329 Little Creek, Virginia Sold to Uruguay.[17]

Manowar2.jpg USCGC Manowar WPB-87330 Galveston, Texas

USCGC Moray, under tow.jpg USCGC Moray WPB-87331 Jonesport, Maine

USCGC Razorbill enforces a safety zone in the vicinity of a vessel collision (cropped).jpg USCGC Razorbill WPB-87332 Gulfport, Mississippi

USCGC Adelie 87333 SFO-Bay.jpg USCGC Adelie WPB-87333 Port Angeles, Washington

Speedy USCGC Gannet.jpg USCGC Gannet WPB-87334 Dania, Florida Sold to Uruguay.[18]

USCGC Narwhal.jpg USCGC Narwhal WPB-87335 Corona Del Mar, California

Janet Napolitano rides the USCGC Sturgeon, 2011-08-08 -a.jpg USCGC Sturgeon WPB-87336 Grand Isle, Louisiana

USCGC Sockeye provides security after a barge allided with a bridge near San Francisco.jpg USCGC Sockeye WPB-87337 Bodega Bay, California

Ibis patrols the Potomac -a.jpg USCGC Ibis WPB-87338 Cape May, New Jersey

USCGC Pompano.jpg USCGC Pompano WPB-87339 Gulfport, Mississippi

USCGC Halibut-profile.jpg USCGC Halibut WPB-87340 Marina Del Rey, California

Crew lines the rail of the USCGC Bonito.jpg USCGC Bonito WPB-87341 Pensacola, Florida

USCGC Shrike, guardian of the space coast.jpg USCGC Shrike WPB-87342 Port Canaveral, Florida

USCGC Tern.jpg USCGC Tern WPB-87343 San Francisco, California

USCGC Heron patrols the Potomac River during 58th Presidential Inauguration -a.jpg USCGC Heron WPB-87344 Sabine Pass, Texas

Coast Guard cutters Adelie and Wahoo, moored in Port Angeles, Washington -a.jpg USCGC Wahoo WPB-87345 Port Angeles, Washington

USCGC Flyingfish provides security during a remembrance of the Boston Marathon Bombing - 140421-G-VV362-633.jpg USCGC Flyingfish WPB-87346 Boston, Massachusetts

USCGC Haddock returns from a big drug bust -- 2014-10-02.jpg USCGC Haddock WPB-87347 San Diego, California

USCGC Brant (WPB-87348) in Corpus Christi, Texas - 2003-10-30.jpg USCGC Brant WPB-87348 Corpus Christi, Texas

USCGC Shearwater on the Elizabeth River -- 2012-06-06.jpg USCGC Shearwater WPB-87349 Portsmouth, Virginia

A USCGC Petrel of the Marine Protector class -- in San Diego.jpg USCGC Petrel WPB-87350 San Diego, California

87351[19] Malta

USCGC Tern.jpg USCGC Sea Lion WPB-87352 Bellingham, Washington

USCGC Skipjack (WPB 87353) entering Corpus Christi, Texas.jpg USCGC Skipjack WPB-87353 Galveston, Texas

USCGC Dolphin WPB-87354 Miami, Florida

USCGC Hawk WPB-87355 St. Petersburg, Florida

USCG Sailfish Roosevelt Is jeh.jpg USCGC Sailfish WPB-87356 Sandy Hook, New Jersey

USCGC Sawfish, sailing into the sunset.jpg USCGC Sawfish WPB-87357 Key West, Florida

US Coast Guard, Seattle-27Oct2010.jpg USCGC Swordfish WPB-87358 Port Angeles, Washington

Tiger Shark (2651242096).jpg USCGC Tiger Shark WPB-87359 Newport, Rhode Island

US Navy 050719-N-9293K-009 The U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Blue Shark (WPB 87360) arrives at its new homeport of Everett, Wash.jpg USCGC Blue Shark WPB-87360 Everett, Washington

USCGC Sea Horse on Virginia's Elizabeth River -- cropped from 141105-G-ZV557-045.jpg USCGC Sea Horse WPB-87361 Portsmouth, Virginia

Interagency interdiction seizes more than half a ton of marijuana 150310-G-GV559-486.jpg USCGC Sea Otter WPB-87362 San Diego, California

USCGC Manatee WPB-87363 Corpus Christi, Texas

USCGC Ahi.jpg USCGC Ahi WPB-87364 Honolulu, Hawaii

Coast Guard Cutter Pike (3119832802).jpg USCGC Pike WPB-87365 San Francisco, California

Training tradition 110914-G-LS819-001.jpg USCGC Terrapin WPB-87366 Bellingham, Washington

USCGC Sea Dragon, shortly after her arrival at her base in King's Bay, Georgia - 2007-12-08.png USCGC Sea Dragon WPB-87367 Kings Bay, Georgia In active service

USCGC Boutwell (WHEC-719) and USCGC Sea Devil (WPB-87368).jpg USCGC Sea Devil WPB-87368 Bangor, Washington

USCGC Crocodile out front of the Tampa Convention Center - 2014-08-28.jpg USCGC Crocodile WPB-87369 St Petersburg, Florida

Coast Guard Cutter Diamondback relocates to Sector Jacksonville 130613-G-JG957-008.jpg USCGC Diamondback WPB-87370 Miami Beach, Florida

USCG Reef Shark at Guantanamo Bay.jpg USCGC Reef Shark WPB-87371 Juneau, Alaska

Coast Guard Cutter Alligator conducts drug offload in St. Petersburg 2014-11-13 -c.jpg USCGC Alligator WPB-87372 St. Petersburg, Florida

USCGC Sea Dog and USCGC Sea Dragon keep the USN's big subs safe at Kings Bay, Georgia, 2012-09-25.jpg USCGC Sea Dog WPB-87373 Kings Bay, Georgia

US Navy 090818-N-1325N-003 U. S. Coast Guardsmen man the rails as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sea Fox (WPB 87374) is brought to life at Naval Base Kitsap.jpg USCGC Sea Fox WPB-87374 Bangor, Washington In active service

References

 "WPB 87' Marine Protector Class". Globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 2016-12-03. Retrieved 2020-02-13.

 "Coastal Patrol Boat" (PDF). USCG Acquisition Directorate. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2009-08-27. Retrieved 2 March 2011.

 HMC James T. Flynn, Jr., USNR(ret) (2014-06-23). "U. S. Coast Guard: Small Cutters and Patrol Boats 1915 - 2012" (PDF). US Coast Guard. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-11-19. The four boats which are stationed at Kitsap, WA and Kings Bay, GA submarine bases have an extra remotely operated 50 cal. m.g.

 "Patrol Boat". Marine Talk. 1999-10-18. Archived from the original on 2010-11-26.

 Keyon K. Jeff (2009-10-11). "Bollinger Shipyards delivers final Marine Protector-class CPB". Tri-Parish Times. Archived from the original on 2009-10-11. We're very sad to see the Sea Fox leave. This contract was supposed to end at 51 vessels, and now we're at 75," said Christopher Bollinger, executive vice president of new construction. "We're excited to see the workmanship continue as we start the next contract for 36 boats.

 "USCG Contract for Bollinger". Marine News. July 2007. p. 8. Archived from the original on 2014-07-18. Retrieved