Demolition and Rebuild of NSRI Hout Bay Base Begins — A New Era in Sea Rescue Operations

Cape Town, 8 July 2025 — The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) wishes to inform the Hout Bay community that demolition of the Sea Rescue base in Hout Bay harbour has begun to make way for a state-of-the-art facility that will better serve our volunteers and the public.

The original base, which has stood for decades, will be replaced with a modern rescue base designed to house a brand new 14.8-metre Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC), currently under construction by Two Oceans Marine in Cape Town. This next-generation rescue vessel will significantly enhance crew safety and improve response capabilities in all weather conditions, a significant upgrade from the 45-year-old rescue boat currently on station, which will be retired.

Still Standing By to Save Lives

Despite the demolition, NSRI Station 8 remains fully operational and on standby to respond to emergencies. Essential equipment has been safely relocated to a temporary containerised base in the harbour, ensuring uninterrupted rescue service.

The asbestos roof of the existing base will be safely removed on 8 and 9 July by specialists from AsbesAway. Following this, roof trusses will be dismantled, and full demolition work will commence. Remarkably, all companies involved — Hamilton Plant Hire (demolition), AsbesAway (asbestos removal), Safety Network Africa (air monitoring) and EnviroServe (transport and disposal) — are contributing their services free of charge. We are deeply grateful for their generosity and community spirit.

Timeline and Next Steps

• 8 July 2025: Demolition begins
• 11 August 2025: Building contractor commences new construction
• June 2026: New rescue base completed
• June 2026: New ORC rescue vessel arrives on station

“We are proud of the legacy of Station 8 in Hout Bay and excited about the future. This new base and vessel will ensure that we are better equipped to save lives and serve the community,” says Spencer Oldham, Station 8, Hout Bay Station Commander.

For updates and to support our mission, please visit www.nsri.org.za.