Larne RNLI prepare to welcome new state of the art Shannon class lifeboat
- Robert Stone
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Tuesday 10 February 2026
This Sunday, 15 February, marks a significant milestone for Larne RNLI as they prepare to welcome their new Shannon class lifeboat to the station.
The lifeboat is expected to arrive at 1358hrs to coincide with the number on the side of the lifeboat which will be officially named Machiko Nancy at a special ceremony and service of dedication later this year.
The £2.7m lifeboat will replace the station’s all-weather Trent class lifeboat, Dr John McSparran, which has served the community off the Larne coast for the last quarter of a century.
Larne RNLI's dedicated volunteers have been diligently engaging in extensive training sessions over the past few months. This preparation is crucial as they transition from the Trent class lifeboat to the more advanced Shannon class lifeboat. This upgrade marks a significant milestone in enhancing the life-saving capabilities of the Larne RNLI team.
The Shannon has been largely funded by donor Michael Cameron via the Cameron Family Charitable Foundation, and will be named in memory of his wife, Machiko Nancy, one of the founders of that charity.
Machiko was born in Vancouver, Canada in August 1954 and was of Japanese-Canadian heritage. In November 1980, she married Michael who was working in Vancouver at the time. In 1989, they moved to the West Midlands and began to develop their careers from there.
Machiko was a hardworking business manager, having qualified as an accountant in both Canada and England and Wales. When she retired in 2010, she devoted her energy to gardening and dancing. Following a short illness, she passed away at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in September 2020.
Speaking of his wife, Michael said: ‘Throughout her life, she lived according to the samurai attributes accredited to her family. These comprise independence, determination, ambition, strength, reliability and professionalism. She also strived to help others throughout her life and is still much missed by the many whose lives she touched. All of this strikes a chord with the RNLI’s mission to save lives at sea and the naming of this lifeboat is more than an appropriate tribute to her memory.’
Larne RNLI Shannon class lifeboat arrival
Venue: Chaine Memorial Tower (first point for arrival) and East Antrim Boat Club (where lifeboat will berth)
Date and Time: Sunday, 15 February, 1.58pm (coinciding with 1358, number on side of the lifeboat)
