The United States will donate a third island-class patrol ship to Costa Rica in order to continue strengthening the country’s National Coast Guard Service.

The United States has already donated two 110 foot boats which actually left from Baltimore and were scheduled  to arrive in  Caldera, Puntarenas at the beginning of April. The boats just crossed the Panama Canal yesterday and therefore should be arriving to Costa Rica shortly.

The third vessel donated is already in Costa Rica, according to the US Embassy the same was in operation with the U.S. Coast Guard in Hawaii just a few weeks ago. Sharon Day, ambassador to the United States in Costa Rica, stated that this third boat will “help strengthen the brave efforts carried out by the National Coast Guard Service in Costa Rica to safeguard the territory from drug traffic, illegal fishing, human trafficking and other illicit activities”.

The patrol ships donated are the best resources the Coast Guard Service in Costa Rica has access to and will allow for the first time the surveillance of the entire patrimonial sea.