SEATTLE - The Coast Guard’s newest Marine Protector Class Coastal Patrol Boat will arrive at its homeport of Bellingham, Wash., Saturday after a 6,000-mile journey from Lockport, La.  The Terrapin will be the seventh 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat to be placed in service in the Puget Sound region.

Other patrol boats already in service include the Sea Lion, homeported at Station Bellingham, Wash., the Osprey homeported in Port Townsend, Wash., the Swordfish, Wahoo and Adelie stationed in Port Angeles, Wash., and the Blue Shark stationed in Everett, Wash.

The Terrapan is an innovative, multi-mission class of vessel capable of performing search & rescue, law enforcement, fishery patrols, drug interdiction, migrant interdiction and homeland security duties up to 200 miles offshore.

The coastal patrol boat carries a 10-person crew and is capable of achieving a maximum continuous speed of 25 knots. The average patrol speed is 10 knots.

A unique feature of the Cutter's design is the Rigid Inflatable Boat launch and recovery system. The system includes a fixed ramp that is incorporated into the stern of the boat which allows the small boat to drive onto the patrol boat while the larger vessel is underway. This feature significantly improves the safety of the recovery evolution.

The Terrapin is scheduled to be commisioned in Bellingham March 23.