Ex RNLI Deep Sea Rescue boat arrives in South Africa

The ex-RNLI lifeboat is rafted alongside the Table Bay rescue boat Spirit of Vodacom before being taken to her berth.

Sea Rescue yesterday took delivery of an ex-Royal National Lifeboat Institute ( RNLI) deep sea rescue boat that will replace the one lost in the Gordons Bay ship-yard fire. The 7th Brede brought to South Africa by NSRI was off-loaded at Cape Town harbour yesterday ( 01 February 2012).

The 10 metre Brede Class lifeboat was brought from Tilbury docks in the United Kingdom to Cape Town harbour at no cost to NSRI because of the generous donations by all who helped with the project.

The ex-RNLI Brede sailed under the name Lyonesse. She will under go a no frills refit in Cape Town, where for the next two months she will be fitted with NSRI rescue equipment and resprayed in our colours.

The project to bring the Lochin made boat to Cape Town was managed by NSRI volunteer Andy Connell. With his organizing skills, and the generosity of all who brought the rescue boat to Cape Town, the NSRI will soon have new Brede in Mossel Bay.

A big thank-you to everybody who donated money to replace the rescue boat that was sadly lost in the Gordon’s Bay boat-yard fire.

You made it possible for us to bring this replacement boat into our fleet.

The following people made a significant contribution to getting the rescue boat to our shores at no cost. A very big thank-you to you all from all of us at Sea Rescue:

Jaco Visagie of Safmarine Shipping Line, facilitated the sponsorship with his principles. Simon Thomas & David of Lochin Marine, prepared the lifeboat for her sea voyage and moved her from Newhaven to Tilbury docks. Lucy Hornett of Safmarine UK, helped Lochin and the forwarders get the lifeboat through Tilbury port, Bennie Gilson of Tilbury Container services organized the Stevedoring and lashing of lifeboat onto the flat-rack, David MacLean of Toll Group Perishables, facilitated the forwarding formalities out of England, Craig Garrow and Terence Du Toit of Pronto Clearing, performed the Import clearing formalities and documentation to release the lifeboat in Cape Town, Verdus De Jongh of Transnet Port Terminals, facilitated the discharge from the vessel and lift into the water, Trevor Francke of Diamond Shipping, were agents for the vessel the mv DAL Kalahari, who facilitated the planning operation between Safmarine and the port terminal. Godfrey Fisher of GF Trucking for moving the lifeboat in Cape Town Terminal and turning in the used flat-rack and cradle and Donovan Liedeman of Dole SA for arranging port formalities, entry and NSRI hospitality in the port.

-NSRI

Images: NSRI (Click on image for larger view.)