USCG transfers cutter to Colombia

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard has announced an official transfer of former cutter Gentian to the Colombian navy at a ceremony in Washington.

The title of the 180-foot vessel was transferred by Vice Adm. Vivian Crea, Coast Guard vice commandant to Colombia, to Adm. Guillermo Barrera, commander of the Colombian navy, at USCG headquarters, according to a Coast Guard release.

“Colombia is one of the most important countries in the Coast Guard’s counter-drug program, and shares our goal of improving maritime counter-narcotics cooperation,” said Adm. Thad W. Allen, commandant of the Coast Guard, in a statement.

“With the decommissioning of the Gentian and its discontinuation as a Caribbean support tender, a key policy objective has been to ensure the vessel is allocated to one of the countries she once served. Allocation of the Gentian to Colombia will facilitate combined counter-drug and security operations in the region, and will serve as a force multiplier for the Coast Guard.”

The vessel has the ability to carry 100,000 pounds of cargo and has a 10-ton lift capacity. While operated by the USCG the cutter supported multinational exercises and disaster relief operations.

Officials say the vessel will remain in Baltimore through December where it will undergo $890,000 in navigation and communications equipment installations by the Columbian navy.

Officials say the former cutter will be renamed ARC San Andres.