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RNLI Lifeboat Stations

Porthdinllaen Lifeboat Station. Photo: RNLI

The RNLI provide 24-hour search and rescue service operates from 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland.

These include four along the River Thames: Chiswick, Gravesend, Teddington and Tower.

Five inland lifeboat stations at Carrybridge, Enniskillen, Loch Ness, Lough Derg and Lough Ree.

Every lifeboat station has different needs depending on its location and without the right shore facilities, lifeboat crews cannot operate effectively.

Changes to lifeboat cover, new classes of lifeboats and the needs of the volunteer crews lead to improvements, and even rebuilds, of lifeboat stations. And so the RNLI continually review the supporting infrastructure to keep pace with the coastal ebb and flow.

The RNLI generally have around 125 projects ongoing at any one time dedicated to the upkeep and maintenance of lifeboat stations and other properties to ensure they’re kept fit for use for as long as possible. 

The RNLI complete approximately 25 of them each year and these works account for some 10% of the RNLI's annual running costs. 

RNLI Lifeboat Stations in the Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland

Aranmore Lifeboat Station. Photo: Barry Moule

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) currently operate 46 stations around the Irish coastline as well as major inland waterways.

The types of boats provided at each station and the launching methods vary depending on local needs. If more than one boat is provided they are sometimes stationed in separate buildings at different locations in the same town. RNLI boats serving Irish stations currently fall into two groups:

  • All weather lifeboats (ALBs): Mersey, Severn, Shannon, Tamar and Trent.
  • Inshore lifeboats (ILBs): D Class (IB1), Atlantic 85 and Rescue Water Craft (RWC). 

Recovery of Shannon class lifeboat at Clogherhead. Photo: RNLI/Pat Browne

The principal launching methods are:

  • Carriage – an ALB or ILB is pushed into the water on a carriage by a tractor
  • Davit – an ILB is lowered into the water by a crane
  • Launchway – an ILB is pushed into the water on a carriage by hand
  • Moored afloat – an ALB or ILB is kept in the water alongside the lifeboat station or nearby, in which case a small boarding boat is provided so that the crew can reach it.
  • Slipway – an ALB slides down a slipway straight into the water.

Lifeboats listed in GREEN are temporarily on station.

Kilkeel Lifeboat Station. Photo: Pat Nolan

Lifeboats listed in GREEN are temporarily on station.

Relief Trent Class Lifeboat 14-32 Corinne Whiteley at Ballycotton Lifeboat Station. Photo: Pat Nolan

Lifeboats listed in GREEN are temporarily on station.

Severn Class 17-44 Annette Hutton at Castletownbere Lifeboat Station. Photo: RNLI

Lifeboats listed in GREEN are temporarily on station.

Lough Swilly Lifeboat Station. Photo: Pat Nolan

Lifeboats Under Construction

All-weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole. Photo: Nathan Williams

The following is a list of new lifeboats that are to be assigned to lifeboat stations in the North and South of Ireland by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Please note assignments may be subject to change.

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