At the end of November 2021, Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley formally commissioned two Cape-class patrol boats at a ceremony held at the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard base in Chaguaramas.
Dr Rowley said: “These vessels are now the major assets in our Coast Guard.” He said they will enable the Trinidad & Tobago Coast Guard to have an effective presence in the Atlantic, and “assist in protecting the country’s fisheries and borders.”
TTS Port of Spain (CG41) and TTS Scarborough (CG42) were designed and constructed by Austal Australia and arrived in Trinidad and Tobago in July 2021.
The 58m patrol boats were built with financial support provided by the Australian Government’s Defence Export Facility, arranged by Export Finance Australia (EFA).
They are based on a proven monohull design operating with the Australian Border Force and Royal Australian Navy, with a number of design customisations to meet the Trinidad & Tobago Coast Guard’s requirements, including provision for additional armament and accommodation for up to 27 people.
TTS Port of Spain and TTS Scarborough are capable of patrols of up to 28 days, with a range of more than 3,000nm and a maximum speed in excess of 25knots. Each vessel has two 7.3m rigid hull inflatable boats that can be deployed while underway.
