New vessel to enhance Coast Guard’s capabilities

The Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) Coast Guard commissioned its latest asset, the 38-foot interceptor CG 11-1 SWORDFISH, on Tuesday.

Chief of Defence, Brigadier Telbert Benjamin, stated that this addition to the Coast Guard’s fleet serves to strengthen maritime security and the Coast Guard’s ability to patrol the nation’s 110,000 square kilometres of waters.

According to the Chief of Defence Staff the SWORDFFISH will expand the unit’s capabilities in combating narcotics trafficking and illegal fishing and even smuggling.

The men and women of the Coast Guard have expressed confidence in the vessel’s operational impact. The SWORDFISH underscores the government’s commitment to safeguarding national waters and enhancing maritime safety.