U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) recently accepted delivery on the last of 52 coastal interceptors meant to replace vessels in its Midnight Express fleet, providing agents with overall technological and performance improvements.
The 41-foot SAFE Boat Coastal Interceptor Vessel is expected to reach AMO’s San Diego Air and Marine Branch in early 2022, a CBP press release said.
“An important goal of AMO’s Vision and Strategy 2030 is to enhance and integrate business and resource functions across AMO,” the release said. “Part of that goal is to streamline aircraft and vessel acquisition and installation of technology applications. In order to accomplish this in the maritime environment, AMO set out to replace and upgrade its fleet of Midnight Express vessels.”
SAFE Boats International acquired the federal contract valued at $48.4 million in 2015, a report by MarineLink said. The company delivered its first vessel to AMO in 2016.
“Each vessel features four 350-horsepower Mercury outboard engines, marine surface radar, electro-optical/infrared sensors, Video Downlink capable, shock-mitigating seats, and a state-of-the-art marine navigational suite,” the MarineLink report said. “The boats are capable of maximum speeds of 58 knots (66 mph) and have a max range of about 350 nautical miles (402 miles) and 10 hours endurance.”
AMO is responsible for confronting security threats posed on the U.S. coast including the unlawful entry of cargo and people into the country, the release said. Their efforts “resulted in 1,066 arrests and 47,872 apprehensions of undocumented individuals as well as the seizure or disruption of 194,220 pounds of cocaine, 278,492 pounds of marijuana, 15,985 pounds of methamphetamine, 952 weapons and $51.5 million” in fiscal year 2020.
