The Shannon story
Since 1824 the RNLI has been a pioneer of saving lives at sea, pushing boat design to new levels. But with almost 9,000 launches a year, in all conditions and sea states, the wear and tear on the boats is extreme.
Keeping spare parts and maintaining nine different classes of lifeboat, five of them all-weather boats (ALBs), is no easy job. A new, future-proof ALB was needed, and in 2013 the first Shannon-class lifeboat came into service to meet the demands of a 21st century rescue system.
The vessel was a success, and is still being rolled out today, with the aim of eventually replacing the existing Mersey, Trent and Tyne class boats. PBO visited the new RNLI boatbuilding facility in Poole to learn more about this highly manoeuvrable high-tech vessel.
Central to the RNLI’s operations is the use of cutting-edge technology, the latest electronics, and continuous evolution of lifeboat design. For many years this had been outsourced, but in January 2013, the RNLI announced a £16.5m investment programme to build a new lifeboat factory at its Poole HQ. By bringing the construction of the Shannon lifeboat in-house, the charity would save around £3m per year through build efficiencies and buying the necessary components itself. The move was part of the RNLI’s 20-year vision, explains senior engineer Marsden Butler: “Had we not made this decision and one of our major suppliers ceased trading, a lot of experience would have disappeared. We’d then have needed to restart that supply chain experience elsewhere.”
All lifeboat
