The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA; Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia) is set to receive the Ex-United States Coast Guard Cutter (Ex-USCGC) Steadfast (WMEC-623) once its preparation in Baltimore, USA, is completed and the vessel is transported back to Malaysia in the first quarter of 2025. Bernama reported that MMEA acting director-general Vice Admiral Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim, said the cutter will be a key asset in enhancing the security of Malaysia’s Maritime Zone, particularly in the South China Sea. This addition will greatly expand and enhance MMEA operational capabilities. He told a press conference following the completion of Maritime Class II Seaman Training Series 17/2023, involving 75 trainees at the Sultan Ahmad Shah Maritime Academy (AMSAS) here today.
Saiful Lizan also expressed gratitude to the Home Ministry for finalising the agreement between the Malaysian and the United States governments through the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the vessel transfer. Meanwhile, Saiful Lizan said the tender process for MMEA’s new flagship vessel, with a procurement budget of RM330 million, is expected to be finalised by the end of this year. He added that the specifications for the ship are anticipated to be completed by the end of this month, and the project is expected to commence in the first quarter of next year with the appointed company. Hhe also noted that repair and maintenance work on the AMSAS facility began last year with a total allocation of RM1.3 million.
USCGC Steadfast (WMEC-623) was a United States Coast Guard Reliance-class medium endurance cutter in commission for 56 years. The Medium Endurance Cutter or WMEC is a type of United States Coast Guard Cutter mainly consisting of the 270-foot (82 m) Famous- and 210-foot (64 m) Reliance-class cutters. These larger cutters are under control of Area Commands (Atlantic Area or Pacific Area). These cutters have adequate accommodations for crew to live on board and can do 6 to 8 week patrols. The Reliance-class vessels have hull numbers in the range from WMEC-615 through WMEC-630. Entering service between 1964 and 1969, the Reliance-class cutters were meant to replace the 125-foot (38 m) cutters of the Prohibition era and were the first major cutter replacement project since the 255-foot (78 m) Owasco-class cutters from World War I.
Commissioned in 1968, Steadfast was home ported in St. Petersburg, Florida for her first 24 years of service. In 1992, she was decommissioned for Major Maintenance Availability (MMA) to extend her service another 25 years. Following MMA in February 1994, Steadfast was re-commissioned and home ported in Astoria, Oregon until her decommissioning on February 1, 2024. The endurance cutter measures 64.16 metres in length, 10 metres in width and weighs 1,100 tons. It can accommodate up to 12 officers and 63 other ranks, with a top speed of up to 18 knots. The Reliance-class vessels had their gas turbines removed, and all 210s had their stern transom exhaust systems replaced with a traditional stack. While this modification reduced the size of the flight deck, they were still more than capable of carrying out helicopter operations.
