HMJS Middlesex (rear) as a patrol vessel of the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard
History
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Name
  • 2019: Captain Hugh Mulzac
  • 2017: Soberanía I
  • 2005: Middlesex
NamesakeHugh Mulzac
CostEC$18 million
Completed2006
Acquired21 January 2019
HomeportKingstown, Saint Vincent
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeCounty-class offshore patrol vessel
Length43 m (141 ft 1 in)
Beam7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Draught2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Speed26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range1,800 nmi (3,300 km; 2,100 mi)
Endurance14 days
Capacity4 additional berths
Complement18
Sensors and
processing systems		X-band radar

Captain Hugh Mulzac is a County-class offshore patrol vessel of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard. Built for the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard as HMJS Middlesex in 2005, the vessel was purchased in 2019 by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It operates in the territorial waters of the island nation, performing maritime security and search and rescue missions. It is the second ship to be named for Hugh Mulzac, a Vincentian native who was the first African-American commercial ship captain, commanding the SS Booker T. Washington in World War II.[1]

Description

Captain Hugh Mulzac is a County-class offshore patrol vessel based on the Dutch Damen Stan Patrol 4207 boat. It has a length of 43 m (141 ft 1 in), a beam of 7 m (23 ft 0 in), and a draft of 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in). It has a maximum speed of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) and is capable of remaining at sea for 14 days with a maximum range of 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km; 2,100 mi). It has a crew of 18 and can host 4 guests, and has advanced X-band radar systems.[2][3]

History

The ship was built in the Netherlands by the Damen Group and sold to Jamaica in November 2005.[4] The vessel was one of three offshore patrol vessels operated by the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard, along with HMJS Cornwall and HMJS Surrey. It was decommissioned from the JDF Coast Guard on 8 December 2017 and returned to the Damen Group as collateral in advance of the purchase of two new vessels of the same model.[5][6] Damen modernized the returned ships, adding two 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine guns, one on the fore and aft. The Nicaraguan Navy then purchased the vessel along with another County-class ship, commissioning it as Soberanía I.[7]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines then purchased the vessel for EC$18 million ($6.7 million) in late 2018, receiving it in December 2018 after a period of maintenance and crew training.[1] The ship was commissioned by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves as Captain Hugh Mulzac in Kingstown, Saint Vincent, on 21 January 2019.[8] On 10 April 2019, Captain Hugh Mulzac attended the burning vessel Gem Star in port at the Grenadines Wharf in Kingstown, assisting in water safety and firefighting alongside a Coast Guard RHIB and the tug Captain Bim. By the end of the day, the fire subsided and Captain Hugh Mulzac retired from the scene.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Maritime, Baird (2019-01-20). "SVG Coast Guard to recommission ex-HMJS Middlesex". Baird Maritime. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  2. 1 2 "Captain Hugh Mulzac - Other Ship, IMO 9348390, MMSI 376835000, Callsign J8B5775, Flag Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - vesseltracker.com". www.vesseltracker.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  3. ↑ "SVG adds Captain Hugh Mulzac to Coastguard fleet of ships". www.searchlight.vc. 2018-12-21. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  4. ↑ "Navy (Jamaica), Navy". Janes. 2011-10-18. Retrieved 2011-12-03. The capabilities of the Jamaican Coast Guard were greatly enhanced with the acquisition in 2005 and 2006 of three Damen offshore patrol vessels.
  5. ↑ "Jamaica Defence Force Orders Two Stan Patrol 4207 Vessels from Damen for Fleet Renewal". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  6. ↑ "Jamaica Defence Force returns to Damen for fleet renewal". archive.damen.com. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  7. ↑ "Las Patrulleras Damen entran en servicio en la Fuerza Navalde Nicaragua" (in Spanish). Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  8. ↑ "SVG Coast Guard commissions 140-foot vessel – iWitness News". www.iwnsvg.com. 2019-01-22. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
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