LOCKPORT, La., — (July 1, 2025) – Bollinger Shipyards (“Bollinger”) announced the delivery of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Frederick Mann at Coast Guard Sector Key West last week. This is the 60th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the U.S. Coast Guard’s current program and the 186th vessel built by Bollinger for the U.S. Coast Guard over a 40-year partnership and will be homeported in Kodiak, Alaska.
“We are honored to deliver Frederick Mann to the U.S. Coast Guard, continuing our proud tradition of providing high-quality, mission-ready vessels,” said Bollinger President & CEO Ben Bordelon. “The FRC platform has proven itself time and again as a cornerstone of the Coast Guard’s fleet, excelling in a wide range of operational conditions. We’re confident this vessel will serve its crew well in their mission of defending our nation’s national security interests over a vast and challenging area of responsibility.”
The Frederick Mann will be homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. This vessel is the third FRC to be homeported in Kodiak and the 6th to join the fleet in Alaskan waters, reinforcing maritime security and bolstering the U.S. Coast Guard’s ability to respond swiftly to emerging threats and protect vital infrastructure.
Bollinger is in the process of making significant investments in workforce, materials, and equipment to maintain uninterrupted production of the FRC program. The investment comes as Congress considers a $1 billion proposal included in President Trump’s sweeping One Big Beautiful Bill agenda, which will fund up to 12 additional FRCs.
“To be mindful of the American taxpayer, I made the decision to move forward now to help stabilize costs and ensure we’re maximizing the value of every dollar Congress invests,” said Bordelon. The longer we wait, the more costs rise. We’re making this bet now to ensure we’re positioned to build more than 10 FRCs. These are proactive steps to protect the industrial base and keep Bollinger’s skilled workers on the job,”
In parallel with growing program demand and expansive backlog, Bollinger has more than doubled its workforce in just two years and continues to expand its talent pipeline and create new shipbuilders through its innovative “Bollinger Shipbuilding Bootcamp,” a 14-week program that includes two weeks of immersive, on-site instruction. The “earn while you learn” model provides a direct path to a stable, skilled career in shipbuilding. Participants aren’t trainees, they’re team members from day one with full pay and benefits. Since its launch, the program has received 1,624 applications from 22 states, including California, Michigan, and New Jersey.
“We’re growing our workforce, modernizing our facilities and enhancing our capacity, all to make sure we continue to answer the call from our government and commercial customers,” Bordelon added. “I’ve continued to say that when contracts are awarded with stable and realistic funding, shipyards flourish.”
FRC production at Bollinger’s Lockport, Louisiana facility supports more than 600 skilled jobs and leverages a nationwide supply chain of nearly 1,000 vendors across 37 states.
Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished themselves in the line of duty. This vessel is named after Chief Warrant Officer Frederick “Fred” Mann, who served a distinguished 31-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard, rising through the ranks from enlistee to commanding officer. He earned the Silver Star for heroic action during the 1942 Guadalcanal campaign, where he risked his life to prevent a catastrophic explosion aboard the USS George F. Elliott after it was struck by a Japanese bomber. Mann later served at NOB Cactus, the only Coast Guard-run Naval Operating Base in history, supporting vital landing craft operations during the Pacific campaign. His postwar service included multiple command assignments across the Great Lakes, Gulf Coast, and East Coast, where he also met and married his wife, Winnie Knox. Mann’s courage and leadership in both war and peace made him one of the most honored Coast Guardsmen in service history.
ABOUT THE FAST RESPONSE CUTTER PLATFORM
The FRC is an operational “game changer,” according to senior Coast Guard officials. FRCs are consistently being deployed in support of the full range of missions within the United States Coast Guard and other branches of our armed services. This is due to its exceptional performance, expanded operational reach and capabilities, and ability to transform and adapt to the mission. FRCs have conducted operations as far as the Marshall Islands—a 4,400 nautical mile trip from their homeport. Measuring in at 154-feet, FRCs have a flank speed of 28 knots, state of the art C4ISR suite (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and stern launch and recovery ramp for a 26-foot, over-the-horizon interceptor cutter boat.
ABOUT BOLLINGER SHIPYARDS
Bollinger Shipyards (www.bollingershipyards.com) has a 80-year as a leading designer and builder of high-performance military patrol boats and salvage vessels, research vessels, ocean-going double hull barges, offshore oil field support vessels, tugboats, rigs, lift boats, inland waterways push boats, barges, and other steel and aluminum products from its new construction shipyards as part of the U. S. industrial base. Bollinger has 13 facilities, all strategically located throughout Louisiana and Mississippi with direct access to the Gulf of America, the Mississippi River and the Intracoastal Waterway. Bollinger is the largest vessel repair company in the Gulf of America region.