The Revenue Commissioner's new 35m hybrid custom patrol cutter costing €8.75m under construction at a shipyard in Spain is to be delivered in late 2025, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The order for this cutter, Revenue, was signed for in a contract last year to the Armon Group (builders of RV Tom Crean) with the newbuild under construction by AuxNaval, part of the group. The 35m length overall (LOA) cutter has a range of 750 nautical miles and a top speed of 18 knots.
With this capability comes a significant enhancement for the Revenue Maritime Unit, which has responsibility for patrolling Ireland's 3,173 kms of coastline. Among the notable tasks is monitoring and smuggling interdiction operations.
A delivery is scheduled for next September with the newbuild to directly replace the 24m (LOA) RCC Suirbhéir, which has been in service since 2004. Afloat highlights this was the first custom cutter built since the founding of the Irish Free State in 1922. An almost identical cutter RCC Faire also built in Finland followed in 2009. Both have a higher speed of 25 knots but a smaller range than the newbuilds.
Cutter crews of the Revenue Maritime Unit will be trained to operate all of the cutters in service with the newbuild capable of operating for longer periods. In addition, the more advanced cutter will be able to head further out to sea and in more challenging weather.
In 2022, however, Revenue originally announced plans to purchase two newbuild cutters, with sources estimating they would cost €20m, and that then a process to place a tender notice would take place later that year. In addition, the newbuilds would replace both predecessor cutters.
Afloat has confirmed from Revenue an update on the procurement process, which makes provision for the possibility of two cutters being procured. As for the currently commissioned one cutter, Revenue added that it has not made a decision in relation to adding a second at this time, but that option remains open.
When the newbuild joins RCC Faire, this will expand its ability to tackle drug smuggling and other seaborne criminal activities. As last year, when off the south-west coast, Revenue’s enforcement teams and other agencies were involved in a major drug detection worth €302m when seizing the bulk-carrier MV Matthew, which was taken to Cork Harbour and where it remains.
Also in Cork recently, Revenue’s recruitment campaign was launched to highlight careers for maritime officers to carry out patrols and tasked with enforcement duties on board the customs cutters. Officers will also be working closely with An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, as well as international law enforcement agencies, including the Lisbon, Portugal based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics), an initiative of eight EU member states and also the UK.
The introduction of the new cutter, which has twin main engines, will meet Tier III emission control standards for Emission Control Areas designated under MARPOL Annex VI. In addition, its hybrid capability will make the cutter compatible with bio-fuel and bio-fuel blends.
Likewise of the current cutters, during patrolling the newbuild, has a stern slipway for launching a 6.25m Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) so to enable crew to board vessels. On returning the RHIB, it is retrieved into position by entering onto the cutter’s launch cradle.
Also to increase the cutter’s surveillance capabilities, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform is located aft on the main deck and is capable of holding a 100 Kg UAV.
In addition, as Afloat previously reported, the newbuild cutter is to boost the state’s coastal and offshore search-and-rescue (SAR) capabilities.
The new cutter is expected to come into operational service in late 2025.
