The Channel Islands will see their all weather lifeboats replaced with new Shannon-class vessels in the next few years under changes announced by the RNLI.
It will see the three current lifeboats serving Guernsey, Alderney, and Jersey change to vessels which the RNLI said are “state of the art” and will “save the greatest number of lives in the most effective way”.
The Shannon is the latest all-weather lifeboat designed in-house by RNLI engineers in Poole and features “the latest in life saving technology” and “enhanced navigation tools”.
They are also propelled by water jets rather than propellers, which the RNLI says makes them more maneuverable in various water conditions.
It’s part of a much wider overhaul of the fleet across the UK and Ireland, with 20 lifeboat stations seeing changes within the coming years.
Peter Sparkes, RNLI Chief Executive, said the charity must respond to increases in demand and how operations are delivered.
“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 donor’s money in the right areas and where it will best meet the changing nature of lifesaving demand,” he said.
“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.”
Guernsey’s Coastguard lead, James Way, welcomed the investment and praised the volunteers who operate the boats.
“Providing them with the latest, Shannon-class lifeboats ensures they are equipped to respond to emergencies as effectively and safely as possible. Modernising and aligning the fleet across the islands strengthens resilience, enhances cooperation, and ultimately helps to save more lives at sea,” he said.
Adrian Carey, RNLI Head of Region for the south west, said standardising the fleet across the islands would improve resilience and technical support.
“It means qualified technicians can respond and support between the islands, and store critical spares and parts, reducing the reliance on delivery from the UK.
“Our volunteer lifeboat crew can also travel between the islands to take advantage of training opportunities, which cuts down on the travel time and time away from their families and day jobs,” he said.
Upgrades are also planned for the inshore lifeboats to add wireless communication and vibration-reducing technology.