Port Of London Authority News

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has signed a contract with British family-run company, Goodchild Marine Services Ltd, to build a new pilot vessel.PLA’s Director of Marine Operations, Steven Clapperton, said, “Goodchild has proven over many years that they are at the leading edge of vessel design and build. This new vessel is designed specifically for our current and future operational needs, and will incorporate the latest in technology, reducing fuel consumption, minimising environmental impacts…

SEA-KIT International has won funding from the U.K.'s Zero Emissions Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition to design and manufacture a hydrogen-fueled uncrewed surface vessel (USV). The company will partner with maritime decarbonization disruptor, Marine2o, for the build of land-based infrastructure to produce green hydrogen, via renewable energy and the electrolysis of water, as part of the project.Dubbed ZEPHR - Zero Emissions Ports Hydrogen Refilling Survey Vessel, the project aims to extend vessel operation for port operators and stakeholders through complete energy transferal…

In a first for UK ports, the Port of London Authority (PLA) and University College of London (UCL) have launched a fully electric, remotely operated survey vessel.It will support a MSc Hydrographic Surveying course they have run in partnership since 1999.The state-of-the-art platform, manufactured by Maritime Robotics, was acquired by the partners, following a successful bid and award of an £263,000 grant from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).The vessel features the most advanced sonar and scanning system from technology manufacturer NORBIT, called a WINGHEAD.

A group of partners aiming to boost efficiency and sustainability for transporting goods in and around London has come together to trial shipping light freight on the River Thames.The non-profit Cross River Partnership (CRP) recently launched the London Light Freight River Trial, London’s first daily, multi-supplier, river freight trial, as part of the Defra-funded Clean Air Logistics for London project. The group has been working with the Port of London Authority (PLA), Lyreco UK & Ireland…

An anchor, believed to date back to the late 1800s, recovered from the Thames riverbed near Gravesend is being prepped to go on public display.In February 2022, Port of London Authority (PLA) divers hauled the anchor from the river at Northfleet after a hydrographic survey identified it as a risk to navigation.The PLA’s head of marine services, Jim Denby said, “We were surprised by the size of the anchor and the fact that it was still in one piece, completely intact and in good…

Offshore crew transfer firm HST Marine has welcomed the arrival of its new UK-built hybrid-electric crew transfer vessel (CTV), HST Frances.The ceremony was attended by Nusrat Ghani MP, UK Minister of State (Dept. for Business and Trade and the Cabinet Office) and senior British maritime industry leaders.HST Frances is HST Marine’s second hybrid electric CTV. The 25-meter vessels can carry 12-24 industrial personnel, and its hybrid electric propulsion system cuts fuel consumption by 30% compared to similar CTVs powered by diesel engines, the company, owned by Purus Marine, said Friday.

A self-propelled pontoon made entirely from standard scaffold components and fitted with a crane has been used for a project on the river Thames to install ladders, chains, and wooden fendering.This project sees yet another evolution of the ScaffFloat system that launched in the UK just two years ago. The Cornish-based company has grown across multiple markets and this latest addition of a crane to their self-powered pontoons has some in the industry likening it to the popular multicat style workboats.For the project on the Thames ScaffFloat mobilised an 8m x 6.4m ScaffFloat…

The UK Secretary of State for Transport has appointed Christopher Rodrigues CBE as the new Non-Executive Chair of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the government agency responsible for preventing the loss of life on the coast and at sea, as well as producing legislation and guidance on maritime matters.Rodrigues brings extensive international experience as a chair of public, private, and government sector bodies in tourism, the arts, and public diplomacy and since 2016 as chair of the Port of London…

Work to dismantle and remove the old West Street Pier in Gravesend is well underway. The pier was used for a number of years by passengers of the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry. But in 2012 the ferry service moved to the renovated Town Pier.The old West Street pier has therefore not been used for a number of years and is now in very poor repair. The structure was further damaged in winter storms last year.The Port of London Authority (PLA) has recently taken ownership of the old pier and begun work to remove the structure. This includes the floating pontoon and the ‘brow’ (the bridge or ‘gangway’) which connects the pontoon to land.Staff from…

A humpback whale measuring at least 5 meters (16 feet) has been spotted in the River Thames just east of London almost exactly a year since a beluga whale was first sighted in the British capital."We are 99.9999 percent sure it is a humpback whale - there have been multiple sightings," said a spokesman for the Port of London Authority, which oversees the river.A beluga whale named as "Benny the Beluga" spent over three months in the River Thames last year."It is not Benny, it is not a beluga…

A new report jointly produced by the Port of London Authority (PLA) and Greater London Authority (GLA) says a new vision could maximize the contribution the River Thames makes to culture in the UK capital. ‘’ sets out how clear direction could make the most of the river’s cultural attractions for the benefit of the city’s population and visitors alike.The report aligns with GLA’s priorities for promoting the city and the PLA’s wider Thames Vision, which was launched in 2016, setting out six targets for the economic, environmental and social resurgence of the river, to be delivered by 2035.

Britain's government on Thursday said all new ships ordered from 2025 and aimed for its waters must be equipped with zero emission technology, as part of a new plan to cut maritime pollution.Britain last month announced a target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, making it the first among the major G7 countries to set such a goal.As part of a new "Clean Maritime Plan" unveiled on Thursday, the government said ships ordered from 2025 onwards must have zero-emission capabilities.

Reygar said that cross-Solent ferry operator, Red Funnel, is installing the BareFLEET monitoring system on Red Kestrel - Red Funnel’s first dedicated RoRo freight ferry.BareFLEET, a cloud-based monitoring platform that couples remote data collection technology with vessel performance monitoring software, is designed to enable the ferry operator to better support the Island’s freight requirements by providing data to optimize vessel performance, monitor fuel use, and cut vessel downtime.

Tilbury Port and the people that work there will play a major role in helping the UK to increase international trade after we leave the European Union.International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox visited Tilbury Port  to meet with port workers and management, as well as members of the Tilbury on the Thames Trust.Tilbury is the fastest growing port in the UK and a £1 billion investment programme will see the port employing 9,000 people by 2020, 3 times more than it did in 2012. One in 5 of the employed people in the local area of Thurrock will work at the port.This investment will see the amount of trade passing through the port reach 32 million tonnes each year…

UK ship repairer and marine engineering services provider SMS has completed three refits this month. This has included the refit of the maintenance vessel ‘London Titan’ which returned to the port of Lowestoft for the second time.Southampton-based SMS, has an enviable reputation as specialists in ship repair, marine engineering and major fabrication projects in the commercial marine, defense and Superyachts sectors.It has completed the three major refits across its national and international network.Chris Norman, the Managing Director of SMS, said: “This marks a major milestone for the business as we’ve completed the last of three major ‘live’ refits that have been going on across the recently expanded ship repair group.“In recent months our business has gone from strength-to-strength.

The Maritime Group (TMG)  carried out a pivotal assessment review of the tugboat operations in the new third set of NeoPanamax locks of the $5.25 billion Expanded Panama Canal and made other operational observations. TMG  was intructed by Autoridad del Canal de Panama (Panama Canal Authority – ACP) with a brief to focus on Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ) procedures. "ACP accepted our findings in early September 2017 and is now considering any modifications to its procedures and the optimization of its schedules," says a press release. Managing Director, Captain Malcolm W Parrott said: “We were selected after a highly competitive international bidding process for our depth of experience and expertise in all aspects of the study including shipping…

More than 80 maritime professionals attended two one-day events focused on the sub IMO / sub 80-ft. sector in Southampton, U.K. this Spring. The Man Overboard Prevention & Recovery Workshop brought together an international group of experts armed with the latest knowledge to identify problems that affect the maritime sector worldwide. Workshop lead John Haynes opened the day saying said, “Expectations, requirements and capabilities are changing for many maritime organizations. High profile roles are evolving close to shore and offshore in U.K., European and international waters.

More than 80 maritime professionals attended two unique one day events focused on the sub IMO / sub 24 meter sector in Southampton this April. The fast moving and dynamic one day workshops brought together an international group of experts armed with the latest knowledge to identify problems that affect the maritime sector worldwide. The superb team of presenters shared unique insights and highlighted potential solutions for a changing world. Workshop lead John Haynes said, “The format of these one day events is shaped by our experience and is constantly evolving.

Estuary Services Limited (ESL), a joint venture between the Port of London Authority (PLA) and Peel Ports London Medway, is continuing its fleet replacement plan and buying another new pilot boat for its pilot transfer operations serving the ports of London and Medway. ESL currently has a fleet of six vessels including two 17.1 meter ORC class vessels that carry marine pilots from the Kent coast to board ships, in the Thames Estuary. The ships which are arriving from all over…

The Port of London Authority (PLA) is recruiting 12 new pilots this year to respond to increased traffic on the Thames. The PLA is looking for candidates with a Class 1 Unlimited Certificate of Competency. Other suitably qualified candidate who can demonstrate experience relative to marine pilotage will also be considered. The candidates will typically undertake a 28-week training course consisting of training on the PLA’s ship bridge simulator and tug simulator, training in Vessel Traffic Services and on board tugs and ships, with regular reviews, assessments and oral exams.

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has invested £250,000 to upgrade its ship’s bridge simulator, adding a full tug bridge simulator in a move that is set to enable a boost in port trade and helps terminals verify their expansion plans. The Thames is the U.K.’s busiest waterway, handling more than 45 million metric tons of cargo a year. For over a decade the bridge simulator has been an essential tool for training the PLA pilots who guide ships to and from their berths on the Thames.

Every port is different. But the harbor masters meeting in Vancouver this week are finding they all have much in common. “We all are dealing with issues of efficiency, the environment, and security and how to develop our ports to best accommodate our customers today and in the future,” says Capt. Kevin Richardson, president of the International Harbour Masters’ Association (IHMA) and a retired chief harbor master at the Port of Dover in the U.K. The congress is being hosted by the Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, and the third largest in North America by tonnage.

The Port of London is set to become the first UK port to recognise ship owners committed to progressively improving their environmental performance, as part of a wider approach to reduce the port’s environmental impact. The Port of London Authority (PLA) is set to introduce a discount on port charges for vessels with lower emissions that meet an Environmental Shipping Index (ESI) score of 30, or above. The ESI, developed by the World Ports Climate Initiative (WPCI), ranks ships’ environmental performance based on factors including emissions of nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide, and carbon dioxide. It gives a ready reckoner rating for ships that perform better in reducing emissions than the current International Maritime Organisation emission standards.