Skip to content 
In addition to the increase in demand, the RNLI said the way people use the coast and the water is changing, which the charity said requires an “evolutionary” response.
Lifeboat crews respond to far fewer calls on boats and ships, and increasingly respond to people launching from the beach and using the coast for recreational purposes, such as open water swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding.
It means the majority of incidents are now within the operational capabilities of an inshore lifeboat, prompting the charity to review its long-term lifeboat fleet strategy.
“The RNLI has constantly evolved and improved our service over 202 years,” said RNLI chief executive Peter Sparkes.
Design concept of the new Coastal Lifeboat (Image: Zodiac)
“We make evidence-based decisions and strive to ensure we have the right lifeboats in the right places, at the right time to save as many lives as possible around the coast of Great Britain and Ireland and, crucially, to enable us to bring our selfless, dedicated people home safely.
“We are responding to the changing nature of saving lives at sea by adapting our service to ensure it is fit for our nations’ future needs. What will never change is our charity’s purpose, to save lives at sea and our mission, to save everyone.”
On Monday, the RNLI announced it had reviewed its fleet strategy and developed a 15-year plan to ensure it has the most appropriate lifeboats in the right places, saving the greatest number of lives in the most effective way, while keeping volunteer crews safe.
As part of the RNLI’s 2040 strategy, six lifeboat stations across Scotland will receive new lifeboats between 2028 and 2030.
Scotland’s two remaining Trent-class lifeboats, based at Broughty Ferry and Dunbar, will be replaced by Coastal lifeboats.
The Severn-class lifeboats at Campbeltown, Stromness and Mallaig will be succeeded by Shannon-class lifeboats, and Portpatrick’s Shannon-class lifeboat will be replaced by a Coastal lifeboat.
READ MORE:
RNLI crews rushed to sinking boat after reports of person in water
Kirkcudbright RNLI builds £1.2 million station and names new lifeboat
The lifeboat crew called into action four times in six hours
The second phase of the changes will see the modernization of the charity’s lifeboat fleet through the gradual exit of the Trent-class All Weather Lifeboat, first introduced in 1994, by the end of 2028.
It will also see a significant capacity upgrade of the Shannon all-weather lifeboat and the Atlantik 85 inshore lifeboat, along with the introduction of the new Coastal lifeboat class in 2028.
“We have a responsibility to our volunteer crews to make sure we provide them with the most capable lifeboat, personal protective equipment and best training so they can save lives at sea as safely and effectively as possible,” Mr Sparkes said.
“And as a charity, we also need to be clear that we are spending our donors’ money wisely in the right areas and where it will have the most impact. Our 2040 Lifeboat Fleet Strategy provides us with the guiding principles, clear priorities, and actionable information needed to make these decisions.”
Mr Sparkes added: “The changes we are now announcing are fundamental to achieving our aim of a future fit and sustainable lifesaving service that keeps our own people safe and enables us to save everyone we can.”
When deciding which lifeboats to place at a station, the RNLI said it considers the capabilities of flanking stations and other search and rescue services to ensure coverage and meet life-saving demand.
