RNLI sets out plans to modernise lifeboat fleet as demands on lifesaving service continue to grow
Monday 12 October 2026
New strategy will see changes to 24 lifeboat stations between 2028 and 2030, with investment in more capable lifeboats and technology to meet the changing nature of rescues at sea.
The RNLI is to modernise its lifeboat fleet over the coming years as the charity responds to growing demand for its lifesaving service and significant changes in how people use the sea around Ireland and the UK.
Under the second phase of its 2040 Lifeboat Fleet Strategy, 24 of the RNLI’s 238 lifeboat stations will undergo a change in lifeboat capability between 2028 and 2030. The changes form part of a carefully considered, 15-year plan to ensure the charity has the right lifeboats in the right places to save the greatest number of lives while keeping its volunteer crews safe.
The strategy is underpinned by extensive operational data gathered over many years by RNLI lifeboat crews, lifeguards and partner organisations. It shows that the vast majority of lifeboat callouts are now close to shore, reflecting a fundamental shift in the way people use the coast and the water.
Between 2017 and 2025, 98% of RNLI lifeboat responses took place within 10 nautical miles of the shore. Just 1.8% were between 10 and 25 nautical miles offshore, while only 0.2% occurred beyond 25 nautical miles.
The figures come as the charity continues to face a substantial operational demand. RNLI lifeboats launched on 9,058 operational services in 2025, more than three and a half times the level of demand anticipated 50 years ago.
Over that period, the nature of many rescues has changed considerably. Whereas lifeboats once responded predominantly to incidents involving boats and vessels, crews are increasingly called to assist people who have entered the water for recreational activities, including open water swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding.
The RNLI’s fleet strategy seeks to reflect these changing demands while maintaining its round-the-clock, all-weather search and rescue service around the Irish and UK coastline.
Peter Sparkes, RNLI Chief Executive, said the charity had a responsibility to continue evolving its service to meet future needs.
‘The RNLI has constantly evolved and improved our service over 202 years. We make evidence-based decisions and strive to ensure that we have the right lifeboats in the right places, at the right time to save as many lives as possible around the coast of the UK and Ireland and, crucially, to enable us to bring our selfless, dedicated people home safely.
‘We are responding to the changing nature of lifesaving at sea by adapting our service to ensure it is fit for our nations' future needs.’
The second phase of changes will see the gradual withdrawal of the Trent class all-weather lifeboat, which first entered service in 1994, by the end of 2028. At the same time, the RNLI will introduce a significant capability upgrade to its Shannon class all-weather lifeboat and Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat, alongside the introduction of a new Coastal Lifeboat class in 2028.
The changes follow a detailed assessment of lifeboat age, capability, location and deployment patterns across Ireland and the UK. The RNLI has also considered advances in search and rescue technology, specialist operational knowledge and a range of potential rescue scenarios before refining its plans.
Importantly, decisions about individual stations are not made in isolation. The RNLI considers the capabilities of neighbouring lifeboat stations and other search and rescue services to ensure that the wider network provides the coverage required to meet demand.
Its integrated lifesaving service extends from water-safety education and lifeguarding on the shore to lifeboat operations further out to sea, with a search and rescue capability extending to 75 nautical miles.
Mr Sparkes said the charity’s purpose would remain unchanged despite the modernisation programme.
‘What will never change is our charity’s purpose, to save lives at sea and our mission, to save every one.
‘We have a responsibility to our volunteer crews to make sure we are providing them with the most capable lifeboat, personal protective equipment and best training to enable them to save lives at sea as safely and effectively as possible.
‘And as a charity, we must also 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 necessary to make these decisions.
‘The changes we are announcing now are fundamental to meeting our goal of a future-fit and sustainable lifesaving service that keeps our own people safe and enables us to save every one we can.’
For the RNLI, the strategy represents a long-term commitment to ensuring that its fleet remains effective, sustainable and equipped to meet the challenges of modern lifesaving. By investing in newer and more capable lifeboats, technology and the people who operate them, the charity aims to maintain the highest standards of rescue provision for the communities it serves.
As the demands on the coast continue to evolve, the RNLI’s focus remains firmly on its volunteer crews, the people who rely on them and its enduring mission to save every one.
