List of customs cutters of UK Border Force

The List of UK Border Force Cutters is a listing of all cutters to have been commissioned by the UK Border Force and its predecessors,

Prior to the formation of HM Customs and Excise in 1909, revenue cruisers of various types were operated by various bodies including HM Customs, the Excise, the Admiralty and the Coast Guard.[2]

In 1980 HMCE's Revenue Cutter Service was renamed the Customs Cutter Service. Thenceforward its vessels bore the ship prefix "HMCC" - Her Majesty's Customs Cutter (previously they had long been known as HM Revenue Cutters).[3] Following the flotilla's transfer to the UK Border Agency they were given the prefix "HMC" - Her Majesty's Cutter; all current vessels of the UK Border Force bear this prefix.

For much of the 20th century the Cutters were supplemented by smaller 'launches'; but these were non-seagoing vessels, restricted to patrolling rivers and estuaries.[3]

Pre-Second World War
The former Revenue Cutter Vigilant (1902) in 2008, awaiting restoration on Faversham Creek

For the first part of the 20th century HM Customs and Excise made do with a single Customs Cutter:[2]

  • Vigilant (1902-1920) built by Cox & Co. of Falmouth[4]
  • Vigilant (1919-1928) (formerly HMS Esther)[3]

After 1928 no new Cutter was procured until after the Second World War, HMCE seeking instead to rely on its Launches.

Post-war

V-class
  • Venturous (1962-1980) built to Customs specifications
  • Vigilant (1965-1980)
  • Valiant (1968-1979)

Tracker-class
  • HMCC Active (1976–1988)
  • HMCC Alert (1976–1983)
  • HMCC Challenge (1977–1989)
  • HMCC Champion (1978–1989)
  • HMCC Safeguard (1979–1993)
  • HMCC Swift (1978–1993)

Fast patrol vessel
  • HMCC Searcher (1979-2001)[5]
  • HMCC Seeker (1980-2001)

Protector-class
  • HMCC Valiant (1988–2003)
  • HMCC Vigilant (1989–2003)
  • HMCC Venturous (1989–2003)
  • HMCC Vincent (1993–2004)

Island-class

UKBF 42m Customs Cutter

Telkkä-class

Coastal patrol vessels
  • HMC Seeker
  • HMC Vigilant
  • HMC Valiant
  • HMC Protector
  • HMC Nimrod

References
  1. Cutters List of Revenue Cutters
  2. Smith, Graham (1980). Something to Declare: 1000 Years of Customs and Excise. London: Harrap.
  3. Smith, Graham (1983). King's Cutters: The Revenue Service and the War against Smuggling. London: Conway Maritime Press.
  4. "The Restoration of Vigilant". Medway Maritime Trust. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  5. Photo, 1998
  6. HMC Protector: Customs patrol boat launched, bbc.com, 17 March 2014 - "It will be located in Portsmouth and will operate around the UK coastline."
  7. "Home Secretary launches new Border Force cutter to protect UK coastline". gov.uk. HM Government. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  8. "Patrol boat deployed in English Channel as Calais 'Jungle' prepares to be demolished". 15 March 2017.
  9. Pyman, Tom. "Border Force introduces more coastal patrol boats in bid to step up security off Kent coast". Kent News. Archived from the original on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  10. http://bidstats.uk/tenders/2019/W08/697369042
  11. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/21/border-force-ships-ordered-patrol-channel-migrants-still-mediterranean/
  12. https://theworldnews.net/uk-news/border-force-ships-ordered-to-patrol-the-channel-for-migrants-are-still-in-the-mediterranean
  13. https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/migrants-rescued-as-crisis-continues-197315/
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