The Guyana Defense Force (GDF) is enhancing its naval capabilities with the addition of a new patrol boat to protect the country’s territory. The GDF’s new Metal Shark 115 Defiant patrol boat is currently en route to Guyana, following its departure from Metal Shark’s production facility in Franklin, Louisiana.
It will join eight other Metal Shark patrol boats currently in service with the GDF, according to Metal Shark Boats. This move comes amid escalating tensions with Venezuela over its quest for Guyana’s Essequibo region.
Guyana’s Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, discussed the US$11.5 million vessel purchase during a June 2021 parliamentary sitting, stating, “I think we, as Guyanese, should be proud that we will be building the capacity of our Coast Guard unit and that we are proud to develop the capacity of our Coast Guard unit, so that if there are incursions in our waters, we will be better able to take care of ourselves.”
Teixeira added that the beefing up of Guyana’s naval capacity is not only about protecting the borders, but also about combating piracy and illegal fishing.
Metal Shark Boats, a U.S.-based manufacturer, has a history of designing and building vessels for military, law enforcement, and commercial applications. The company is headquartered in Jeanerette, Louisiana, and has a production facility in Franklin, Louisiana, located in the heart of America’s energy corridor.
On October 31, Metal Shark Boats announced on LinkedIn that the Metal Shark 115 Defiant has left its Franklin facility and is “now en route to our Bayou La Batre, Alabama shipyard. From there, the vessel will continue its journey to Guyana.” The vessel was acquired by the Guyana government via direct purchase and was designed and built by Metal Shark in Louisiana, USA. According to Metal Shark Boats, “the new vessel will help to protect Guyana’s burgeoning oil and gas industry and the far-reaching interests supporting its development…”
“This Essequibo is ours, every square inch of it” – President Ali | OilNOW
Chris Allard, chief executive officer of Metal Shark, said in August “We believe this formidable, American-made patrol craft will be a game-changer for regional security. It is already generating significant interest from naval forces across the Caribbean basin and throughout Latin America.”
