GDFS Berbice
| History | |
|---|---|
 Guyana | |
| Name | Berbice |
| Namesake | Berbice River |
| Builder | Metal Shark Boats |
| Cost | $11.5 million |
| Launched | 4 August 2023 |
| Commissioned | 12 November 2023 |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Defiant-class patrol vessel |
| Length | 115 ft (35 m) |
| Propulsion | 2 × Caterpillar C32 diesels, 2 shafts |
| Speed | 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
| Range | 2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
GDFS Berbice is a 115 Defiant-class patrol vessel of the Guyana Defence Force. It was launched in 2023 shortly before the 2023 Guyana–Venezuela crisis.
Ship history
[edit]Amid the renewed Guyana–Venezuela territorial dispute in the 2010s when Guyana discovered offshore oil, Venezuela increased its aggression towards its eastern neighbor.[1] Concerns about Guyana's aging flagship, GDFS Essequibo, were raised.[1] In May 2021, Guyana used emergency funds to make a down payment to commence the construction of the GDFS Berbice, citing the need to defend its exclusive economic zone from Venezuela.[1]
On 4 August 2023, the Berbice was launched from the Metal Shark Boats production factory in Jeanerette, Louisiana.[2] Months later on 30 October 2023, Metal Shark announced that the ship sailed to its shipyard in Bayou La Batre, Alabama.[1] The Berbice was incorporated into the Guyana Defence Force in Georgetown, Guyana on 12 November 2023.[3] Venezuelan media criticized the incorporation of the ship.[4][5]
Specifications
[edit]The Berbice is 115 feet (35 m) long, has a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) and can travel at a top speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph).[3] It has a crew of twenty-four officers and sailors.[3] It can also serve as a mother ship for 5-meter (16 ft) rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) that can be crewed by ten individuals.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Guyana buys US$11.5M boat to protect Exxon's operations". Kaieteur News. 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ "August 4th, 2023: Metal Shark Launches 115-Foot Patrol Vessel for Guyana Defense Force". Metal Shark Boats. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ a b c d Bravo, Douglas (2023-11-12). "Guardia Costera de Guyana recibe un OPV 115 Defiant de Metal Shark - Noticias Defensa Centro América". Defensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ "ExxonMobil empieza a extraer petróleo en aguas pendientes por delimitar entre Guyana y Venezuela". El Universal (in Spanish). 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ "Guyana incorporó un buque estadounidense a su flota en su pretensión de militarizar el Esequibo". Notitarde (in Spanish). 15 November 2023. Retrieved 2023-12-16.