This week signals the beginning of a six-month trial to operate Angle’s all-weather Tamar class lifeboat across the waterway in Milford Haven, from the Port Authority’s jetty.

The charity recently announced that sustaining operations at Angle Lifeboat Station is becoming increasingly challenging due to its remote location and declining population. The lifeboat has already been operating from Milford Haven three days every week thanks to an arrangement with the Port of Milford Haven. The RNLI is now extending this arrangement on a 24/7 basis for a trial period before reviewing the impact. This trial will run over six months.

Over recent years, measures have been put in place to enable Angle's lifeboat to operate safely and effectively. However, as a charity, the RNLI cannot continue to support these measures long-term. The all-weather lifeboat was placed on a swing mooring to ensure it could be launched quickly and efficiently in response to an emergency callout due to the limited number of shore crew with daytime availability at Angle.

Since 2012, a local operating procedure has been in place for Angle's all-weather lifeboat to collect crew from Milford Haven when attending incidents to ensure adequate, safe crewing levels. The RNLI has recently provided extra support to crew based in Milford Haven, developing more infrastructure and dedicated training for volunteers there.

The RNLI also invested in additional full-time crew at Angle to ensure the lifeboat could continue to operate. However, these arrangements are not sustainable long-term. 

Ryan Jennings, RNLI Regional Operations Lead says:

‘This is not a decision that has been taken lightly but is necessary to enable the RNLI to continue to save lives to the best affect in the Cleddau Estuary and surrounding waterways. To ensure the long-term sustainability of lifesaving in the area, we are keen to undertake this trial and assess its impact. We will still require the services of the Angle RNLI volunteer crew and welcome any new additional crew; however, we continue to review the situation in order to ensure the long-term viability of the station. 

‘The RNLI is committed to ensuring an effective lifesaving service in the Cleddau Estuary and surrounding area and is grateful to the Port of Milford Haven for their ongoing support. We are committed to looking at ways of creating a lifeboat service, which is sustainable into the future. A trial at Milford Haven gives us the opportunity to explore this.’

Harbourmaster at the Port of Milford Haven, Mike Ryan, said:

‘We are fully supportive of the RNLI’s trial to operate from Milford Haven as we want to help them find a workable, long term solution that will benefit all users of the Waterway and keep everyone safe.’ 

The trial commenced this week and the RNLI will assess and review the results once complete.