The U.S. Coast Guard's newest fast response cutter is now operating in Guam. The ship will patrol the Pacific Island region.
The new ship is bigger than the model it replaces — and the Coast Guard said it can conduct missions from coastal security to fishery patrols.
It will join three other fast response cutters in Guam, with one more on the way. It's the same type of vessel that was recently part of the response to Super Typhoon Sinlaku last month.
The newest ship is the Vincent Danz — named after a police officer and member of the Coast Guard Reserve who died while trying to rescue victims from the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Danz was posthumously awarded the NYPD's Medal of Honor for his heroism. The cutter honors his memory and the legacy of all first responders who gave their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
In a commissioning ceremony held in New York City, Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thomas Allan said the ship will perform vital work across Oceania.
Coast Guard officials said the cutter will conduct maritime security operations, combat illegal activity, and support search-and-rescue missions in Micronesia and Melanesia.
The new fast response cutters replace patrol boats dating back more than 40 years.
