Newhaven lifeboat station hosts fleet of RNLI vessels

The first of the visiting vessels, Tamar 16-13 Victor Freeman relief boat, arrived from Shoreham for a package of works before returning back to Shoreham for storage.

The second was the Trent class 14-31 Elizabeth of Glamis, who arrived en route home to Broughty Ferry from Poole, where she had been undergoing her 10-yearly refit.

They were moored alongside Newhaven’s Severn class all-weather lifeboat 17-21 David and Elizabeth Acland.

The trio made a pleasing configuration of family vessels docked alongside at Newhaven Lifeboat station.

Lewis Arnold, Newhaven Coxswain, said: “Accommodating the movement of the RNLI fleet around our coastline plays an important part in our service to be operational 365 days of the year, 24 hours a day.”

Other notable visits this year have included the sister Severn class 17-20 Spirit of Northumberland on 7 March, while on transit from her home base of Tynemouth to Poole for scheduled transformation works, part of the Severn Life Extension Program.

Two weeks later, on 21 March, the Severn class 17-45 Duke of Kent relief boat paused in Newhaven on passage to Torbay.

In her wake, the Trent class 14-10 Samarbeta was welcomed alongside on 22 March following an upgrade of electronical navigation systems at the All-weather Lifeboat Centre (ALC) in Poole.

Mr Arnold said: “Well maintained assets, in the right places, is central to our commitment to save lives as sea.

“It’s great to feel our community appreciating the entire RNLI family of vessels and their connection to Newhaven as they travel along our coast.”