Mersey-class lifeboats are All-weather lifeboats operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Introduced in 1988, 38 of this class of lifeboat would come to operate from stations around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, but as of October 2025, only two remain on service. Four former RNLI Mersey-class boats are in service overseas, three operated by ADES Uruguay, and one by Bote Salvavidas de Valparaiso in Chile. They are capable of operating at up to 17 knots (31km/h) and can be launched from a carriage or by slipway.
The class name comes from the River Mersey which flows into the Irish Sea in north west England.
History
During the 1960s and 1970s the RNLI introduced fast lifeboats capable of considerable greater speeds than the 8 knots (15km/h) of existing designs. The first of these were only able to be kept afloat as their propellers would be damaged if launched using a slipway or carriage. In 1982 the steel-hulled Tyne-class came into service which could be launched down a slipway but weighed 25 tons so was not suitable for being moved across a beach on a carriage. The answer was to build a smaller boat with an aluminium hull, which became the Mersey Class.[1]
The first, unnamed, Mersey was built in 1986 and undertook trials during 1987 and 1988. It was then taken out of service and sold the following year. It was working as a trip boat in Westport, County Mayo in 2008 carrying the name Spirit. Two more boats were built in 1988, with the first one to take up active service going to Bridlington Lifeboat Station the following year.[2]
In 1989, 12-11 Lifetime Care (ON 1148) was built with a fibre-reinforced composite (FRC) hull. Boats built in 1990 continued to use aluminium but from 1991 FRC became the standard hull material.[2][3]
In 2014, the first of the Shannon-class lifeboats replaced the Mersey lifeboats at Dungeness, Exmouth and Hoylake. The RNLI intended to have 25 knot lifeboats at all offshore lifeboat stations by the end of 2019. However, this target has not been met, with two Mersey-class lifeboats still on station at Douglas and Newcastle (September 2025).
On Wednesday 13 December 2023, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh joined RNLI representatives at Windsor Castle for the handover of RNLB 12-30 Her Majesty The Queen (ON 1189) to the Chatham Historic Dockyard for temporary display.[4]
Description
The Mersey is designed to be launched from a carriage, but can also lie afloat or be slipway launched when required. Its propellers are fully protected from damage when launching or in shallow water, by partial tunnels and two bilge keels. Its low height can be further reduced by collapsing its mast and aerials which then allows it to be stored in a boathouse. A sealed cabin gives it a self-righting ability.
Power comes from two 3208T Caterpillar turbo-charged marine diesel engines giving 285hp at 2,800 rpm. It carries 1,110 litres (290USgal) of fuel to give it a range of 240 nautical miles (440km). It has a crew of six and can carry an inflatable X-boat which it can deploy at sea. Its survivor compartment can carry 43 people, but more than 21 prevents self-righting should the boat capsize.[3][5]
Withdrawn to Relief fleet, 14 October 2024. RNLI announced final departure of Aldeburgh Mersey ALB following a service at 13:30 on 27 October 2024.[10]
1 2 Op.No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.
Uruguay
ADES Uruguay is an Honorary Lifesaving Institution founded in 1955. All our volunteers are honorary, people who train weekly to go to sea with the sole purpose of helping whoever requests help. The rescues have no cost to the beneficiaries. At the national level ADES Uruguay is part of the National Emergency Committee and at the international level it is part of the IMRF (International Maritime Rescue Federation)[12]
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