Larne RNLI is set to receive a new £2.7 million Shannon class lifeboat following its completion at the RNLI’s All-Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole.

A seven-strong team from the Antrim station attended a bell-ringing ceremony at the Dorset facility on Tuesday to mark the vessel’s first launch into the water. The boat will now undergo sea trials and final commissioning before arriving in Larne in the coming weeks.

The new all-weather Shannon class lifeboat will replace the station’s current Trent class vessel, which has been in service for 25 years. The upgrade is expected to significantly enhance Larne RNLI’s rescue capability along the north Antrim coast.

Senior Station Technician Derek Rea said the new arrival marks an important milestone for the crew and local community. “Welcoming this new lifeboat heralds a new chapter in Larne RNLI’s history,” he said. “Our Trent class lifeboat has served us well, but this new vessel will further strengthen our lifesaving work.”

The Shannon class lifeboat has been largely funded by donor Michael Cameron through the Cameron Family Charitable Foundation and will be named in memory of his late wife, Machiko Nancy Cameron. The official naming ceremony and service of dedication will take place in Larne next year.

Built in Poole, the Shannon is the RNLI’s newest and most advanced all-weather lifeboat design, capable of operating in the most challenging sea conditions at speeds of up to 25 knots. It is the first modern RNLI lifeboat to be propelled by waterjets rather than propellers, allowing for greater manoeuvrability in shallow waters and close to shore.

The RNLI said the arrival of the new lifeboat represents a major investment in lifesaving capability for the Larne area and the wider north-east coast.