RNLI evolving to meet lifesaving demand

Compelling data, provided by RNLI lifeboat crews, lifeguards and partners, and compiled over many years, shows that the majority of incidents the charity’s lifeboats respond to are now within the operational capabilities of an inshore lifeboat.

Between 2017-2024, 98% of the RNLI’s lifeboat response has been within 10 nautical miles of the shore, 1.8% was between 10 and 25 nautical miles and just 0.2% of incidents were at a range greater than 25 nautical miles from the shore.

Use of the sea around the UK is fundamentally changing. Increasing numbers of people are using the coast for recreational purposes, such as open water swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding. Most RNLI rescues are now closer to shore than out to sea, when rescue demand was often in support of commercial fishermen and other mariners working further offshore. The RNLI must respond positively to this shift in operational need and ensure that it has the most appropriate lifeboats in the right places, to save the greatest number of lives and crucially, to keep our own people safe.

Careful consideration has been given to the age, capabilities, location and pattern of lifeboats around the coast of the UK and Ireland in response to the changing nature of lifesaving. This work has been informed by changes in search and rescue technology, and it has drawn on a combination of in-depth data, insights and specialist knowledge. Numerous potential options have been explored, tested and refined to meet different lifesaving scenarios.

Peter Sparkes, RNLI Chief Executive, said:

‘For over 200 years, the RNLI has been a charity with a simple mission, to save lives at sea. Clear evidence shows the nature of lifesaving is changing, at a time when demand for our vital service is increasing – we must respond to this.

‘If the RNLI is going to save even more lives, our lifeboat and lifeguard services must continue to adapt to these changing needs, we have a responsibility to spend our donors’ money in the right areas and where it will best meet the changing nature of lifesaving demand. Our 2040 Lifeboat Fleet Strategy provides us with the principles and information to make these decisions.

‘We have reviewed and adjusted our lifeboat fleet and the placement of our lifeboats to meet the changing needs of our volunteers, supporters and the communities we serve

‘We need to have confidence that the decisions we make now set us on a sustainable trajectory that is appropriate for the changing nature of lifesaving demand. This is fundamental if we are to achieve our goal of a future-fit, sustainable lifesaving service that keeps our people safe and enables us to save every one we can.’

The 2040 Lifeboat Fleet Strategy is not about one individual lifeboat station and looks across the whole of the charity’s lifeboat configuration. The strategy has established principles through a response to the changing way people are using the coastline and establishing the capabilities and requirements of all-weather lifeboats to inform decisions on where lifeboats will be placed.  

Lifeboat changes for 2026 and 2027 have been outlined in the strategy and those lifeboat stations impacted informed. Twenty lifeboat stations out of the 238 which operate around the UK and Ireland are directly impacted in the first two years. The majority are moving from one class of all-weather lifeboat to another, with the exception of Hastings, Ilfracombe and Lytham St Annes Lifeboat Stations which will move from a Shannon to an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat.

Decisions on later years have not been confirmed but will be guided by the principles of the strategy. When deciding on which lifeboats to place at a station, the RNLI considers the capabilities across flanking stations and other search and rescue services to meet the lifesaving demand. 

ENDS

Notes to editor:

Through the strategy the specific needs and capabilities required from our all-weather lifeboats have been established. This has led to the development and agreement of what the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboats are there to do, which is to:

• Respond to all-weather lifeboat demand based on risk, location, and seagoing capabilities that are outside the capabilities of an inshore lifeboat
• Provide cover to flank station inshore lifeboats
• Respond to major incidents (involving vessels over 30NM) where towing may be required
• Provide lifesaving effect in relation to offshore risk (25 to 75NM).

Lifeboat changes in 2026:

• Larne Lifeboat Station: Trent class to a Shannon class
• Fenit Lifeboat Station: Trent class to a Shannon class
• Ballycotton Lifeboat Station: Trent class to a Shannon class
• Fraserburgh Lifeboat Station: Trent class to a Tamar class
• Wick Lifeboat Station: Trent class to a Shannon class
• Portree Lifeboat Station: Trent class to a Shannon class
• Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station: Shannon class to Atlantic 85 Mk3
• Appledore Lifeboat Station: Tamar class to a Shannon class
• Ramsgate Lifeboat Station: Tamar class to a Severn Mk3 class
• Tynemouth Lifeboat Station: Severn class to a Tamar class
• Weymouth Lifeboat Station: Severn class to Severn class

Lifeboat changes in 2027

• Howth Lifeboat Station: Trent class to a Shannon class
• Barra Lifeboat Station: Severn class to a Tamar class
• Buckie Lifeboat Station: Severn class to a Shannon class
• Salcombe Lifeboat Station: Tamar class to a Shannon class
• Alderney Lifeboat Station: Trent class to a Shannon class
• St Peter Port Lifeboat Station: Severn class to a Shannon class
• Hastings Lifeboat Station: Shannon class to an Atlantic 85 Mk 4
• Lytham St Annes Lifeboat Station: Shannon class to Atlantic 85 Mk 4
• Plymouth Lifeboat Station: Severn class to Severn class