Article Dawn of a new era for RNLI's Invergordon Lifeboat Station as new Shannon class vessel becomes fully operational By Philip Murray | Updated: 16:46, 12 February 2021 Get the Ross-shire Journal sent to your inbox every week and swipe through an exact replica of the day's newspaper The new lifeboat. Picture: RNLI/Michael MacDonald. A LONG-awaited new era has dawned for lifeboat crew members in the Cromarty Firth after their brand new state-of-the-art vessel became fully operational. The RNLI's Invergordon station took delivery of its new Shannon class lifeboat back on November 1, following a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. And, after intensive training to get familiar with the new craft, the new vessel â RNLB Agnes AP Barr â took over from its Trent class predecessor, RNLB Douglas Aikman Smith, at 1.37pm on Friday.