Danish firm lights up the US Coast Guard
Danish navigation light systems company Lopolight has been selected to shine its lights on potentially 11 US Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs).
The US Coast Guard has awarded a contract to the shipbuilder Austal USA to design and build the vessels, with the first one already under build.
Austal USA has selected Lopolight’s navigation lights for the first vessel, a Heritage-class OPC.
OPCs provide ‘a capability bridge’ between the Coast Guard’s National Security Cutters, which operate in the open seas, and the smaller, fast-response cutters, which stay much closer to shore.
The OPCs will be used in operations such as law enforcement, drug and illegal immigrant interception, and search and rescue.
Lopolight CEO Jan Møller, who Maritime Journal interviewed last year, says his company’s LED lights offer the standards required for shock, vibration, power and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) essential in carrying out the kind of work that OPCs have to do.
“We take great pride in being the only LED navigation light provider to meet these stringent requirements,” he said. “Our solution delivers a fully tested and proven system for the US Coast Guard, featuring ice-class defrosters, dimmable NVG-compatible lights, and an exceptionally low radar cross-section.
“The US Coast Guard recognizes the advantages of LED navigation lights over antiquated legacy systems, and we look forward to the opportunity to partner with the USCG on future projects to further enhance maritime safety and operational efficiency.”
