HMBS Cascarilla (P 302)

The HBMS Cascarilla (P 302) is the second of four Damen Stan 3007 patrol vessels commissioned by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.[1][2][3]

Design

The Cascarilla, and her sister ships are 30 metres (98 ft) long and 7 metres (23 ft) wide, and have a maximum speed of 24 knots (44 km/h).[4] She and her sister ships have a shallow draft, for inshore work. She is designed for missions of up to five days. She is designed for a crew of 13.

While most modern vessels are designed with a clipper bow, Damen built the Cascarilla, and her sister ships, with an "axe bow", a new style of bow intended to make for easier sea-keeping in rough weather.[4] At her stern she is equipped with a stern launching ramp, which enables her to deploy and retrieve her waterjet-propelled pursuit boat, without first coming to a stop.

Operational history

In early 2016 the Cascarilla was damaged in a grounding.[5] Repairs cost $23,000.

On June 15, 2016, the Cascarilla exchanged gunfire with individuals they believed were Dominican Republic fish poachers.[6] No crew members were injured, but the poachers got away.

On January 2, 2018, the Cascarilla intercepted a 40 foot sailing sloop carrying 91 undocumented migrants.[7]

On March 27, 2018, an undocumented Haitian immigrant triggered a search when he was able to phone Bahamanian officials and report the smuggling vessel he was on had sprung a leak.[8] The Royal Bahamas Defence Force requested the United States Coast Guard to dispatch aircraft to help locate the vessel. After the USCG located the vessel, the Cascarilla intercepted a smuggling sloop and rescued 89 undocumented migrants from Haiti.[9]

References
  1. "Defence Force Bolsters Fleet With Three New Vessels, Mobile Base". Tribune 242. 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2017-03-25.
  2. Eric Rose (2017-03-01). "Bahamas Defence Force increasing capacities with new vessels and strategic infrastructure". Nassau, Bahamas: The Bahamas Weekly. Retrieved 2017-03-25. He pointed out that the names of the two Flora Class vessels that have already been commissioned are HMBS Lignum Vitae and HMBS Cascarilla. As stated earlier, the fourth and final vessel to be commissioned is HMBS Madeira.
  3. "Royal Bahamas Defence Force Contracts Damen for New Fleet". NSG Group of Companies. Retrieved 2017-03-26. 4 Stan Patrol 3007 - with its shallow draft this brand new Damen vessel is specifically designed for operations in the coastal waters and shallow banks of the Bahamas.
  4. "First Stan Patrol 3007 Long range patrol vessel for Bahamas at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem". Navy Recognition. 2014-12-10. Archived from the original on 2014-12-30. Retrieved 2016-09-28. Damen has designed the Stan Patrol 3007 to remain at sea for up to one week at a time. To meet that requirement, they have provided on board accommodation for a crew of 13, as well as a pantry and mess room.
  5. Rashad Rolle (2018-04-25). "'Commodore, Stop Mashing Our Boats'". Tribune 242. Retrieved 2018-06-15. In early 2016, HMBS Cascarilla experienced a “less severe grounding” costing $23,000, Commodore Bethel indicated.
  6. Nico Scavella (2016-06-15). "RBDF crew return fire with suspected Dominican poachers". Tribune 242. Retrieved 2018-06-15. The crew on board HMBS Cascarilla returned fire after being shot at with what RBDF officials told The Tribune were shotguns. No marines were hurt, nor were any of the vessels damaged during the testy encounter, according to Dr Nottage.
  7. Sancheska Dorsett (2018-01-02). "91 Caught In Migrant Operations". Tribune 242. Retrieved 2018-06-15. According to the RBDF, while on routine patrol on Saturday, HMBS Cascarilla under the command of Lieutenant Commander Clinton Johnson, apprehended a 40-foot Haitian sloop near the southern end of the Tongue of the Ocean, 20 miles west of the Exuma chain.
  8. "Haiti - Bahamas : 89 Haitian boat people intercepted southwest of Eleuthera". Haiti Libre. 2018-03-29. Retrieved 2018-06-15. Tuesday night around 9pm the US Coast Guard aircraft finally located the boat. The HMBS "Cascarilla" vessel went into the area and intercepted the boat in the night, about 16 nautical miles southwest of "Governor's Harbor", 89 undocumented Haitian immigrants were on board.
  9. Morgan Adderley (2018-03-29). "Haitian Migrants Arrested By Defence Force". Tribune 242. Retrieved 2018-06-15. The United States Coast Guard provided assistance to the RBDF, as that a fixed wing aircraft operation of the organisation out of Miami was “helpful in locating the sloop”.
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