Barry Dock Lifeboat Station was opened by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1901. In 1922 the station received its first motor lifeboat, and in 1973 it was provided with a second lifeboat, which was eventually withdrawn from service in 1979.

The Shannon-class lifeboat is the latest class of lifeboat currently being deployed to the RNLI fleet to serve the shores of the British Isles. The Shannon class is due to replace most Mersey-class lifeboats and some Trent-class lifeboats.