SAFE Boats completes construction of first patrol vessel for U.S. Customs and Border Protection

SAFE Boats International (SBI), a Washington based manufacturer of aluminum boats has completed the first Coastal Interceptor Vessel (CIV) on contract from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO).

A naming ceremony was held at SAFE Boats International facilities on May 26, 2016 to name the vessel the “Alexandria” as well as celebrate the first CIV as SBI’s two thousandth (2000) delivered craft.

Following the acceptance of this first vessel, AMO intends to acquire up to 52 of the new CIVs to meet emerging Department of Homeland Security mission requirements. The contract, should all options be executed, is valued at over $48 million.

According SAFE Boats, the CIV is a 41-foot vessel, capable of high speed interceptions in close proximity to other vessels as well as open ocean speeds at well over 54 knots.

The CIV can be configured for a number of mission operations including pursuing suspect vessels for the purpose of boarding, searching, and when necessary, arresting violators and seizing the suspect vessel and contraband. SAFE Boat’s CIV is specifically configured to provide AMO Marine Interdiction Agents a safe working platform with outstanding performance, sea keeping and mission capabilities.

The AMO CIV is a variant of the SAFE 41 Interceptor, a design currently in service with the Royal Bahamian Police, Royal Gibraltar Defense Forces, Colombian Navy, the company said.

“SAFE Boats is honored to be delivering our milestone 2000th hull as the first Coastal Interceptor Vessel to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations whose vital mission is to defend our great country,” commented Dennis Morris, President and CEO.

AMO currently operates a fleet of high-speed interceptor vessels that are approaching the end of their service life. Following the acceptance of this first vessel, AMO intends to acquire up to 52 of the new CIVs to meet emerging Department of Homeland Security mission requirements.