The Shannon is the newest class of lifeboat developed by the RNLI. Since 2013 14 (out of a planned 50) have been built with ten serving at stations and four in reserve. With a crew of six, the 44ft 7in (13.6m) LOA boats have a maximum capacity for 79 survivors and a 250 nautical mile range with a top speed of 25 knots. Superb manoeuvrability is down to the waterjet system of propulsion from its twin 13-litre 650hp engines. Each Shannon costs £1.5m to build.
Like other modern lifeboats of the RNLI they are named after a river, but this is the first class to be named after an Irish river, the Shannon. When the south of Ireland became a free state in 1922 the RNLI volunteers continued to serve and man up to 59 boats from 45 stations, including those around the Northern Ireland coasts.