By BEN LUNDIN

Staff Reporter

RESERVE – The Port of South Louisiana’s fleet is about to become one-of-a-kind.

The port unveiled the fourth ship in its fleet on the Mississippi River Thursday, a $1.5 million state-of-the-art security command boat unlike any other in the country.

Complete with 1750 horsepower, the 57-foot-long ship named &#8220The Responder” can roar through the Gulf Coast waters at a top speed of 35 knots and features a slew of cutting edge surveillance equipment.

It’s the first security command and control ship in the Port’s history.

&#8220A port security command and control vessel has always been necessary,” said the Port’s Security Director Mitch Smith. &#8220But since 9/11 there has been a lot of focus on maritime security.”

The ship is the second in the Port’s fleet to be built by the Monticello, Arkansas-based company Sea Ark Marine, joining the $850,000 rescue boat &#8220Accardo” that the Port purchased in 2005.

The other two boats in the fleet are the John James Charles, a fire fighting ship, and the Rescue Runner, which the Port expects to repair and sell this year.

The Port intends to use a ship to patrol each of the River Parishes, with the Responder in St. John, the Accardo in St. Charles and the John James Charles in St. James.

Homeland Security is covering the majority of the $1.5 million price tag, with the Port of South Louisiana paying only $350,000.

Eventually three or four more ships will be necessary to secure the Port’s 54 miles of river in St. Charles, St. James and St. John Parishes to meet the request of Homeland Security, according to Port of South Louisiana Executive Director Joel Chaisson.

At this time the Port lacks the authority necessary to make arrests and must work in conjunction with parish sheriff’s offices, but should have several deputized officers by July 1.

The Port of South Louisiana is one of five ports that compose the largest contiguous port in the world that stretches from Baton Rouge to the mouth of the Mississippi River, along with the Ports of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Plaquemines, St. Bernard.

&#8220The Port of South Louisiana has turned out to be a model for many other port areas of how to approach homeland security on a layered basis where we’re trying to perform a layer of security around the entire port and not just one specific area,” Chaisson said. &#8220We can provide security such that we’re all on the same wave length with respect to security and communication devices where we have communication with all of the ports and likewise we can respond.”

Smith declined to provide specifics about The Responder’s surveillance equipment, but an employee of Sea Ark Marine said the ship features a thermal imaging camera.

The boat is slated for dedication sometime in June with an exact date to be forthcoming.