The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Shetland lifeboat heads for refit to become fuel efficient
A northern lifeboat is undertaking a mission of its own – by going green.
The RNLI Charles Lidbury, based at Aith on the northern coast of the Shetland mainland, is on the long journey south to Girvan in Ayrshire, where it will undergo a refit.
This will make the vessel not only more fuel efficient but more environmentally friendly too.
Aith station will not be without lifeboat cover during the refit, as the RNLI Severn-class relief lifeboat 17-31 is in place.
When the Charles Lidbury arrives in Girvan it will be fitted with new engines produced by a German company, MTU. A spokesman for the RNLI said: “The key feature of these engines is that, even if boats capsize completely and remain upside down for several seconds, they will continue to run. But because capsizing can allow oil to enter the cylinders via the crankcase ventilation system, MTU engineers incorporated a valve which closes depending on the vessel’s angle to prevent oil escaping.
“When the vessel has righted itself again, the valve opens automatically. The new engines are also significantly quieter than their predecessors and produce lower levels of vibration.”
The RNLI Charles Lidbury will return to Shetland by September.
“Even if they capsize the engines will continue to run”