A refit of the Jersey Lifeboat Association’s all-weather lifeboat Sir Max Aitken III has progressed to its final stages – with the charity hoping to begin sea trials next month.

The Tyne-class steel lifeboat is one of two vessels used by the JLA, the other being its high-speed inshore RIB Albert Pinel.

It is our intention that Sir Max will begin sea trials in early to mid-July

JLA chairman Paul Richardson

The charity announced in October that it had decided to invest in new engines for Sir Max Aitken III to “enhance its sea-going performance, average and top speed, along with extending the vessel’s service life for many more years”.

The new engines arrived from the UK in February and were delivered to local marine engineering company DK Collins, which has been carrying out the installation work.

Pictured: The new engines arrived in the island earlier this year and have since been installed (Image: JLA/Woodside Logistics).

Providing an update to Express on Friday, JLA chairman Paul Richardson said that the upgrade was “progressing well”, explaining that the new engines had been installed and it was “just some final bits” now being completed.

He noted that: “It is our intention that Sir Max will begin sea trials in early to mid-July.”