Rescue 3: What It Means for ABSAR

Rescue 3 is a major step forward for ABSAR. It doubles down on what already works, strengthens our readiness, and gives both of our marine bases the same proven offshore rescue capability.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Jumby Bay Fund, ABSAR has been able to purchase Rescue 3, our newest marine rescue vessel. This boat is not an experiment or a redesign. It is intentionally the same platform as Rescue 2, the vessel that has formed the backbone of ABSAR’s marine and offshore response for more than a decade.

That decision was deliberate.

Why Another Identical Vessel Matters

Rescue 2 has earned its reputation the hard way. Night calls. Heavy seas. Long transits offshore. Critical patient transfers when minutes mattered. It has proven itself again and again in real world operations.

By purchasing the same vessel design for Rescue 3, we gain several critical advantages:

  • Standardized training: Crews train on one platform, one layout, one set of procedures. When the call comes in, there is no learning curve.

  • Interchangeable capability: Any trained marine responder can step aboard either Rescue 2 or Rescue 3 and operate effectively.

  • Simplified maintenance: Shared systems mean fewer spare parts, less downtime, and faster repairs when boats are needed back on the water.

  • Operational resilience: If one vessel is tasked, refueling, or down for maintenance, the other can respond with the same reach and capability.

This is how rescue organizations build depth, not just capacity.

Two Bases. One Standard.

With Rescue 3 coming online, both Falmouth Harbour and Jolly Harbour will now have the same marine response capability.

It means faster response times across Antigua’s coastline. It means consistent offshore reach, yachting crews, and local mariners. It means we are no longer tied to a single hull for offshore capable response.

From a command and control perspective, it also simplifies decision making. Dispatch knows exactly what each base can deliver, every time.

A Quiet but Significant Step Forward

Rescue 3 does not change who we are. It strengthens what we already do.

ABSAR is a volunteer organization, but our standards are professional. The acquisition of Rescue 3 reflects that mindset. Proven equipment. Thoughtful planning. Long term sustainability.

This vessel represents confidence in our crews, respect for donor support, and a commitment to being ready when the call comes, whether it is close to shore or miles offshore in difficult conditions.

Rescue 3 is not just another boat.

It is continuity, resilience, and a clear step into the future of ABSAR’s marine rescue capability.