Birdon Delivers 14th Motor Lifeboat (MLB) to Station Tillamook Bay
In late November, Birdon delivered the 14th Motor Lifeboat (MLB) for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Motor Lifeboat (MLB) Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). After work was completed at Birdon’s Bellingham, WA facility, the vessel was delivered to Station Tillamook Bay in Garibaldi, Oregon.
In addition to being an active-duty installation, USCG Station Tillamook Bay is a nationally recognized historic site and has an area of responsibility from Tillamook Head on the Oregon coast to Cape Kiwanda. Their duties include rough water rescues, maritime law enforcement, boating safety and implementation of the commercial fishing vessel safety regulations. Station Tillamook Bay averages more than 250 search and rescue cases a year.
The MLBs are an important part of the Coast Guard’s national security strategy, and as an all-weather fast response vessel, they are used to patrol vast areas of the country’s coastline. These vessels are designed to operate in intense surf, extreme hurricane force weather conditions, and are rollover capable, meaning that they self-right if capsized and can continue operations. Since the contract award in 2019, Birdon has established full-rate production facilities on both the East and West coasts to facilitate the delivery process. Birdon remains on schedule to complete work for up to 117 47’ MLBs by 2029.
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