Boaters in distress can now feel even more confident that help is only a few minutes away, thanks to a new vessel stationed at U.S. Coast Guard Station Milford Haven.

A state-of-the-art 45-foot vessel accepted by Coast Guard personnel last Thursday is expected to cut response times in half for search and rescue missions and other emergencies throughout the region, according to BMC David Dickinson, officer in charge of the Mathews County station.

The new Response Boat-Medium replaces the station’s aging 41-foot utility boat that served as the facility’s primary vessel.

The RB-M actually arrived in Mathews County on Jan. 14, but wasn’t signed over until Thursday morning following a final inspection. It sat in a neighboring dock at Morningstar Marinas until it was ceremoniously driven the last couple of hundred yards to the USCG dock, allowing crew members their first chance to board her.

The most important feature of the new...