U.S donated Coast Guard Cutter arrives in Sri Lanka following record journey

The former U.S. Coast Guard Cutter DECISIVE, which departed from the Baltimore U.S. Coast Guard Yard East Wall Jetty, has arrived in Trincomalee after a nearly three-month voyage.  

The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) formally took delivery of the US Coast Guard Cutter, provided by the United States to SLN, in a ceremony held in Baltimore on 02 Dec 25   The ship began its journey to Sri Lanka on February 20, 2026, covering approximately 14,775 nautical miles. The voyage is believed to be the longest single sea journey ever undertaken by a Sri Lankan naval vessel and marks the first time a Sri Lankan ship has navigated through the Panama Canal.   Ex-USCGC DECISIVE, a ‘B-Type Reliance Class 210-foot Cutter’, measures 64m in length, and having endurance of 6000 NM at cruising speed. Further, she has been designed for 100 of crew and is equipped with weapons and machinery. The ship which was used by the U.S. Coast Guard has rendered an exceptional service during her tenure by curbing illegal activities, including smuggling of narcotics in U.S. waters. Under the leadership of Captain Gayan Wickramasooriya, the vessel carries a proud complement of 86 highly trained S.L Navy personnel, including 14 officers and 72 sailors. Their passage plan includes a series of strategically important port calls, designed to ensure safe passage and foster diplomatic ties along the route.  Once commissioned into service, DECISIVE will enhance the Sri Lanka Navy’s capabilities to counter drug trafficking and smuggling, conduct search and rescue operations, and safeguard vital sea lanes in the Indian Ocean that support global trade, the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).   Navy Spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath said that the ship is expected to be brought to Colombo next week for its official commissioning ceremony.