The U.S. Coast Guard has transferred a high endurance cutter to the Vietnam Coast Guard during a ceremony in Honolulu on Thursday morning local time, the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said Friday.

The ship, which will be renamed CSB 8020, is expected to improve the Vietnam Coast Guard’s maritime domain awareness, increase its capacity to perform maritime law enforcement operations, and conduct search and rescue and other humanitarian response operations.

“This cutter provides a concrete and significant symbol of the U.S-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership,” said U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Michael J. Haycock, assistant commandant for acquisition and chief acquisition officer.

“The Coast Guard is honored to see this vessel continue to preserve global peace and prosperity as a part of the Vietnam Coast Guard.”

The CSB 8020 was transferred to the Vietnam Coast Guard from the U.S. Government through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program.

The EDA offers excess military equipment to U.S. partner and allied countries in support of their military and security modernization efforts.

The designation of high endurance cutter (WHEC) was created in 1965 when the U.S. Coast Guard adopted its own designation system.

High endurance cutters encompass the largest cutters previously designated by the United States Navy as gunboats, destroyer escorts, and seaplane tenders. The term High Endurance Cutter may refer to any of four individual ship classes that have seen service in the Coast Guard.

Photo: U.S. Embassy in Hanoi

Photo: US Coast Guard

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