



By Admin. Updated 2:30 p.m., Friday, July 4, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
The Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) has issued a statement regarding the grounding of SVG’s principal coast guard vessel, the Captain Hugh Mulzac.
In a statement dated 4 July, the RSVGPF said: “On Thursday 3rd July 2025, at 2305 hours, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ship – Captain Hugh Mulzac ran aground on a reef at Clifton Harbour, Union Island. The vessel was approaching a jetty when the incident occurred.”
“The Coast Guard Service is currently assessing the grounding to determine the next course of action. No crew members were injured during the incident,” the statement continued.
Local media outlet Radio Grenadines reported on Friday that “an attempt was made by the MV Bequia Express to tow the vessel, but the effort was unsuccessful, apparently due to the low tide.”
“An experienced water taxi operator, with years of salvaging reefed vessels (locally known as reefers), noted that the next best opportunity to refloat the Captain Hugh Mulzac will be around 10 p.m., when the tide rises again. He also said that this ship is far too heavy for the local water taxis to assist,” Radio Grenadines added.
Further reports from Radio Grenadines indicated that “the ship was scheduled to transport the Guyana Defence Force contingent from Union Island this morning. Recently, the vessel assisted in transporting students and teachers between the mainland and Union Island.”
The SVG Coast Guard, established in 1980, is an arm of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force. It currently has nine (9) vessels in its fleet, one of which is Captain Hugh Mulzac.
The Captain Hugh Mulzac was named after Hugh Nathaniel Mulzac, the first African American ship commander, who was born on 26 March 1886 on Union Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

According to the Government of SVG’s website, “The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard Service, within the Ministry of National Security, commissioned the SVGS CAPT. HUGH MULZAC on 21 January 2019, at the Kingstown cruise ship terminal.”
“The SVGS CAPT. HUGH MULZAC was built by Damen Shipyards in Gorinchem, Netherlands, and delivered to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ Coast Guard Service on 15 December 2018. She is commanded by Lieutenant Enos Hamlette.”
“The ship’s name is SVGS CAPT. HUGH MULZAC. It has a length of 42.8 metres with a beam of 7.1 metres. The ship has a capacity of 19 members and an endurance of fourteen days,” the website further states.
END



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