Saint Vincent and the Grenadines patrol vessel Captain Hugh Mulzac facts for kids
HMJS Middlesex (rear) as a patrol vessel of the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
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| Name |
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| Namesake | Hugh Mulzac |
| Cost | EC$18 million |
| Completed | 2006 |
| Acquired | 21 January 2019 |
| Homeport | Kingstown, Saint Vincent |
| Identification |
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| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | County-class offshore patrol vessel |
| Length | 43 m (141 ft 1 in) |
| Beam | 7 m (23 ft 0 in) |
| Draught | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Speed | 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) |
| Range | 1,800 nmi (3,300 km; 2,100 mi) |
| Endurance | 14 days |
| Capacity | 4 additional berths |
| Complement | 18 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
X-band radar |
The Captain Hugh Mulzac is a special kind of ship called an offshore patrol vessel. It belongs to the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard. This ship helps keep the waters around the island nation safe. It also helps people who are lost or in trouble at sea.
This vessel was first built for the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard in 2005 and was named HMJS Middlesex. Later, in 2019, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines bought it. The ship is named after Hugh Mulzac, a brave man from Saint Vincent. He was the first African-American commercial ship captain and commanded a ship during World War II.
What is the Captain Hugh Mulzac?
The Captain Hugh Mulzac is a type of patrol boat known as a Damen Stan Patrol 4207. It is 43 meters (about 141 feet) long. That's about the length of four school buses! It is 7 meters (about 23 feet) wide. The part of the ship that goes under the water is 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) deep.
This ship is very fast, reaching speeds of up to 26 knots (about 48 kilometers or 30 miles per hour). It can stay at sea for 14 days without needing to return to port. It can also travel a long distance, up to 1,800 nautical miles (about 3,334 kilometers or 2,072 miles). The ship has a crew of 18 people. It also has advanced radar systems to help it see things far away.
How did the Captain Hugh Mulzac get its name?
The ship is named after Hugh Mulzac, a very important person from Saint Vincent. He was born in 1886. Mulzac became the first African-American to command a commercial ship in the United States. During World War II, he was the captain of the SS Booker T. Washington. This ship carried supplies and troops to help with the war effort. Naming the patrol vessel after him honors his bravery and achievements.
History of the Ship
The ship was built in the Netherlands by a company called the Damen Group. It was first sold to Jamaica in November 2005. In Jamaica, it was one of three patrol vessels used by their Coast Guard. Its original name was HMJS Middlesex.
In December 2017, Jamaica returned the ship to the Damen Group. This was part of a deal to get two newer ships. The Damen Group then updated the ship. They added two powerful 14.5 mm heavy machine guns to the front and back.
After that, the Nicaraguan Navy bought the ship and named it Soberanía I. But it didn't stay with Nicaragua for long.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines bought the vessel in late 2018 for EC$18 million. That's a lot of money! They received the ship in December 2018 after it had some maintenance work and the crew was trained.
On January 21, 2019, the ship was officially welcomed into service. This ceremony happened in Kingstown, Saint Vincent. The Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves, was there to commission the ship. This is when it officially became the Captain Hugh Mulzac.
A few months later, on April 10, 2019, the Captain Hugh Mulzac helped with a real emergency. A ship called Gem Star caught fire at the Grenadines Wharf in Kingstown. The Captain Hugh Mulzac helped with water safety and fighting the fire. It worked alongside another Coast Guard boat and a tugboat called Captain Bim. By the end of the day, the fire was put out.
