RNLI
RNLI lifeboat crews protect hundreds of communities around the UK and Ireland through our 24-hour search and rescue service. To do so, they rely on the safest, most reliable lifeboats and modern stations to launch from.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, RNLI lifeboat crews are ready to answer the call to rescue. Find out where brave lifeboat crews are launching to save lives at sea right now.
To save lives, the RNLI take on all the challenges that the sea can throw at them. To do that, they need specialist craft. Nimble inflatable inshore lifeboats, all-weather lifeboats that can battle even the roughest seas, and hovercraft that can fly over treacherous mudflats. Find out more about the lifeboats that our crews use when they launch to the rescue.
The 238 lifeboat stations of the RNLI create a ring of safety around the coasts of the UK and Ireland. Some have been housing lifeboats for decades, others specially built to tackle the unique geography of the UK and Irish coastlines. And whether they're in the heart of a busy harbour, at the bottom of a cliff face, or on a busy waterway, they are all uniquely placed to provide the quickest response to a call for help.
The All-weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole is where we build the Shannon class lifeboat and maintain the other all-weather lifeboats in our fleet. Teams of engineers and boatbuilders work tirelessly to ensure our all-weather lifeboats are ready to launch into the roughest conditions to save lives.
The Inshore Lifeboat Centre in Cowes is where we build and maintain our inshore lifeboat fleet – quick and manoeuvrable lifeboats that allow the crews to get as close as possible to those in trouble.
Keeping our lifeboats and lifesaving equipment ready to save lives is the job of our Coastal Maintenance Team. Travelling across the UK and Ireland, they work hard to keep our fleet ready to launch to the rescue.