A new station for the Tower lifeboat RNLI crew has been floated under Tower Bridge to its permanent home. It is expected to be fully operational by the end of April and is said to have vital new additions, including a more private space for casualty care, out of public view.

The age and design of the old station had meant it had become unfit for purpose. That, with parts of its pontoon dating back to the Victorian era, was floated away from its home on Victoria Embankment in January. It will now be used by Thames Marine Services as one of six electrical charging facilities.

The Tower lifeboat crew is currently operating from HMS President – the Royal Naval Reserve’s training facility in London.

“We are looking forward to our new, much-needed facilities, which will mean we can continue the service we are known for, for many years to come,” says Tower Lifeboat Station manager Kevin Maynard.

“The crew are so excited to see their new station arrive and excited to continue our life-saving work from this new modern base. We’d also like to thank HMS President who are supporting us in the meantime as this has allowed us to continue being on service.”

New figures released by the RNLI show that the Tower lifeboat crew launched more times than any other station in 2022, with 734 launches and 21 saved lives.

The new station has been made possible thanks to donations, including £3.5m from the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Officer’s Association.

Catch up with all the RNLI’s latest news with MIN.

Lifeboat Pier in its original guise as the Thames Police station

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