View source for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines patrol vessel Captain Hugh Mulzac

{{Short description|Vincentian patrol boat}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
| display title = Saint Vincent and the Grenadines patrol vessel ''Captain Hugh Mulzac''
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Jamaican Coast Guard patrol vessels built to a Damen Stan design -a.jpg
| Ship caption = HMJS ''Middlesex'' (rear) as a patrol vessel of the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header =
| Ship country = Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}}
| Ship name = *2019: ''Captain Hugh Mulzac''
*2017: ''Soberanía I''
*2005: ''Middlesex''
| Ship namesake = [[Hugh Mulzac]]
| Ship yard number =
| Ship completed = 2006
| Ship acquired = 21 January 2019
| Ship commissioned =
| Ship identification = * {{IMO|9348390}}
* {{MMSI|376835000}}
*Call Sign: J8B5775
* [[Pennant number]]: SVG 01
| Ship homeport = [[Kingstown]], [[Saint Vincent (Antilles)|Saint Vincent]]
| Ship fate =
| Ship status = In service
| Ship notes =
| Ship original cost = EC$18 million
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption =
| Ship class = {{sclass2|County|patrol vessel|0}} [[offshore patrol vessel]]
| Ship tonnage =
| Ship displacement =
| Ship length = {{cvt|43|m|ftin}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|7|m|ftin}}
| Ship height =
| Ship draught = {{cvt|2.5|m|ftin}}
| Ship depth =
| Ship hold depth =
| Ship ice class =
| Ship power =
| Ship propulsion =
| Ship speed = {{convert|26|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship range = {{cvt|1800|nmi|lk=in}}
| Ship endurance = 14 days
| Ship boats =
| Ship capacity = 4 additional berths
| Ship complement = 18
| Ship crew =
| Ship troops =
| Ship sensors = X-band radar
| Ship EW =
| Ship armament =
| Ship notes =
}}
|}
'''''Captain Hugh Mulzac''''' is a {{sclass2|County|patrol vessel|0}} [[offshore patrol vessel]] of the [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard]]. Built for the [[Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard]] as '''HMJS ''Middlesex''''' in 2005, the vessel was purchased in 2019 by [[Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]. It operates in the [[territorial waters]] of the island nation, performing [[maritime security]] and [[search and rescue]] missions. It is the second ship to be named for [[Hugh Mulzac]], a Vincentian native who was the first African-American commercial [[ship captain]], commanding the {{SS|Booker T. Washington}} in World War II.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Maritime |first=Baird |date=2019-01-20 |title=SVG Coast Guard to recommission ex-HMJS Middlesex |url=https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/maritime-security-world/non-naval/svg-coast-guard-to-recommission-ex-hmjs-middlesex/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Baird Maritime |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Description ==
''Captain Hugh Mulzac'' is a {{sclass2|County|patrol vessel|0}} [[offshore patrol vessel]] based on the Dutch [[Damen Stan Patrol 4207]] boat. It has a length of {{Cvt|43|m|ftin}}, a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{Cvt|7|m|ftin}}, and a [[Draft (hull)|draft]] of {{Cvt|2.5|m|ftin}}. It has a maximum speed of {{convert|26|kn|lk=in}} and is capable of remaining at sea for 14 days with a maximum range of {{convert|1800|nmi|lk=in}}. It has a crew of 18 and can host 4 guests, and has advanced X-band radar systems.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Captain Hugh Mulzac - Other Ship, IMO 9348390, MMSI 376835000, Callsign J8B5775, Flag Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - vesseltracker.com |url=https://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Ships/Captain-Hugh-Mulzac-9348390.html |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=www.vesseltracker.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-21 |title=SVG adds Captain Hugh Mulzac to Coastguard fleet of ships |url=https://www.searchlight.vc/news/2018/12/21/svg-adds-captain-hugh-mulzac-to-coastguard-fleet-of-ships/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=www.searchlight.vc |language=en}}</ref>
== History ==
The ship was built in [[the Netherlands]] by [[the Damen Group]] and sold to [[Jamaica]] in November 2005.<ref name="Janes2011-10-18">{{cite news |date=2011-10-18 |title=Navy (Jamaica), Navy |publisher=[[Jane's Information Group|Janes]] |url=http://articles.janes.com/extracts/extract/cacsu/jamas130.html |accessdate=2011-12-03 |quote=The capabilities of the Jamaican Coast Guard were greatly enhanced with the acquisition in 2005 and 2006 of three Damen offshore patrol vessels.}}{{dead link|date=November 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The vessel was one of three offshore patrol vessels operated by the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard, along with {{ship|HMJS|Cornwall|2005|6}} and {{ship|HMJS|Surrey}}. It was decommissioned from the JDF Coast Guard on 8 December 2017 and returned to the Damen Group as collateral in advance of the purchase of two new vessels of the same model.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jamaica Defence Force Orders Two Stan Patrol 4207 Vessels from Damen for Fleet Renewal |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2016/november-2016-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/4583-jamaica-defence-force-orders-two-stan-patrol-4207-vessels-from-damen-for-fleet-renewal.html |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=Navy Recognition |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jamaica Defence Force returns to Damen for fleet renewal |url=https://archive.damen.com/en/news/2016/11/jamaica_defence_force_returns_to_damen_for_fleet_renewal |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=archive.damen.com}}</ref> Damen modernized the returned ships, adding two 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine guns, one on the fore and aft. The [[Nicaraguan Navy]] then purchased the vessel along with another County-class ship, commissioning it as '''''Soberanía I'''''.<ref name="Nicaraguan_sale_1">{{cite web |title=Las Patrulleras Damen entran en servicio en la Fuerza Navalde Nicaragua |url=https://www.defensa.com/centro-america/patrulleras-damen-entran-servicio-fuerza-naval-nicaragua |accessdate=March 8, 2021 |language=es}}</ref>
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines then purchased the vessel for [[Eastern Caribbean dollar|EC$]]18 million ($6.7 million) in late 2018, receiving it in December 2018 after a period of maintenance and crew training.<ref name=":0" /> The ship was commissioned by Prime Minister [[Ralph Gonsalves]] as ''Captain Hugh Mulzac'' in [[Kingstown]], [[Saint Vincent (Antilles)|Saint Vincent]], on 21 January 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-22 |title=SVG Coast Guard commissions 140-foot vessel – iWitness News |url=https://www.iwnsvg.com/2019/01/22/svg-coast-guard-commissions-140-foot-vessel/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=www.iwnsvg.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> On 10 April 2019, ''Captain Hugh Mulzac'' attended the burning vessel ''Gem Star'' in port at the Grenadines Wharf in Kingstown, assisting in water safety and firefighting alongside a Coast Guard [[Rigid inflatable boat|RHIB]] and the [[Tugboat|tug]] ''Captain Bim''. By the end of the day, the fire subsided and ''Captain Hugh Mulzac'' retired from the scene.<ref name=":1" />
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Captain Hugh Mulzac}}
[[Category:Ships of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines]]
[[Category:Military of Jamaica]]
[[Category:Patrol boats]]
[[Category:2006 ships]]