shipping week: greening agenda centre stage · clipper race includes tidal thames volunteer...

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Port of London Authority, London River House, Royal Pier Road, Gravesend, Kent DA12 2BG. +44 (0) 1474 562200

Ship arrival and departuresArrivals <

Departures >

Shipping Week: greening agenda centre stageTwo PLA events put environmental matters centre stage during London International Shipping Week. Hydrogen fuel options emerged as one of the key themes of the inaugural Greening Inland Shipping conference and exhibition.Almost 200 delegates from across Europe gathered in Docklands to discuss emerging technologies aiming to drive down emissions from tugs, ferries and barges working on rivers. Speakers included the London deputy mayor for the environment Shirley Rodrigues, who previewed the release of details on how operators can apply for new grants from the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund. Managed by the Cross River Partnership, the monies will enable older boats on the Thames to be retrofitted with greener propulsion systems. Meanwhile, Claire McAllister from the Department for Transport highlighted a £1 million Government support package for research and innovation on cleaner maritime technologies. MBNA Thames Clippers’ CEO Sean Collins also outlined his aspirations to introduce UK’s first

all-electric ferry on the Thames at Rotherhithe.Tom Woods, MD of Woods Silver Fleet said: “The conference was a great way to find out what technology is out there. As we push ahead with investment, it couldn’t have come at a better time.”

>> Click here: The full background to the conference is featured in a new PLA film

>> Click here: Our website also has a more detailed

report about the day

Shipping Week: Greening agenda centre stage >Peruvian Wharf back in business >Clean Air Thames offers funding to retrofit vessels >Paddy’s Doggett day afternoon >London Bridges lit up by “world’s longest artwork” >Clipper race includes tidal Thames volunteer >What’s it like to work on the liquid highway of history? >

Another Great River Race >VR safari underlines wildlife diversity >New report aims at raising Thames’ global profile >50th anniversary for grain terminal >Digital system keeps track of containers >Ministers learn Brexit plans >Train-naming ceremony at London Gateway >DP World gets a new CEO >Shrub plans >

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nce is featured in a new PLA film

NCE Clean Maritime CEO, Hege Ockland

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Departures >

Watch our latest �lm about the reopening of Peruvian Wharf >

A wharf that was once a bustling Thames hub for trade and shipping is officially back in business as a cargo handling site.Peruvian Wharf’s revival was recently marked by a visit from Jules Pipe, London’s deputy mayor for planning, regeneration and skills. Its principal tenant is Brett Aggregates, which has installed a building materials terminal on the site. Those materials are due to be used in major London construction projects. We bought the wharf in 2016 for £3 million, following 17 years of legal disputes. And we subsequently invested a further £3 million in preparing the site for the development of marine operations. Speaking at Peruvian Wharf, Jules Pipe said: “It is great to see sites like Peruvian Wharf brought back into use and to recognise that traditional

activities like moving cargo by river are as relevant as ever in our growing capital city.”Peruvian Wharf is one of 50 sites in London that are designated for cargo handling by the Mayor’s safeguarding policy.It is designed to protect strategically located sites along the tidal Thames

from development, including the construction of residential and commercial buildings. This is to ensure that operational facilities are in place to move goods and materials in and out of London by river – thus reducing road traffic.

Tidal Thames made clipper race departure point

Peruvian Wharf back in business

>> click here for the application form and project participation guidelines. The

deadline to apply for Round 1 is 10 December 2019.

>> click here for the application form and project participation guidelines. The

deadline to apply for Round 1 is 10 December 2019.

Clean Air Thames is a three-year scheme to retrofit up to 11 inland vessels to reduce emissions. £500,000 has been granted by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund to help operators retrofit their vessels with post-exhaust treatments to reduce emissions.The tidal Thames carries more passengers and freight than any other UK inland waterway. Vessels on the river account for approximately one per cent of emissions across Greater London. That number is expected to

increase as standards for road vehicles become stricter, and the river is used to transport more people and freight Clean Air Thames is administered by Cross River Partnership in partnership with the Greater London Authority, the Port of London Authority and the City of London Corporation. The project aims to retrofit 11 commercial freight and passenger boats to reduce hazardous emissions, including particulate matter, nitro-gen oxides and sulphur oxides by

up to 90 per cent. Lessons and best practices will be shared over the lifetime of the project. Applications are now open for Round 1 of Clean Air Thames funding. It is open to operators running vessels on the Tidal Thames within Greater London.

Clean Air Thames offers funding to retrofit vessels

It is great to see sites like Peruvian Wharf brought back into use and to recognise that traditional activities like moving cargo by river are as relevant as ever in our growing capital cityJules Pipe

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Paddy’s Doggett day afternoon

>> Our chief executive Robin Mortimer reports

>> Find out more

Strong winds and the closest finish in years made the 2019 Doggett’s Coat and Badge wager one to remember. Parick Keech (22) from Dartford, Kent, beat off a strong challenge from Clippers master captain James Berry to become the 305th winner of the world’s oldest rowing race.In what were described as ‘brutal, blustery conditions” the recent Portsmouth University graduate finished the 22-furlong course from London Bridge to Cadogan Pier Chelsea in 29 minutes, 21 seconds. The race was founded in 1715 by Thomas Doggett, an actor, in tribute to the skill and bravery of newly-licensed watermen, who rowed him home along the course route late one night in bad weather, when he would have otherwise been left stranded in the Square Mile.

Patrick’s victory continues a strong family tradition. His brother Jack won the 2017 race, whilst his cousin triumphed in 1971. Another member of the Keech clan, Alfie,

aged 11, has his sights on winning in 2029.

The first phase of an ambitious art project to light up some of the tidal Thames’ most famous bridges with thousands of coloured LED lights has been completed.London Bridge, Cannon Street Bridge, Southwark Bridge and the Millennium Footbridge have been illuminated, in what has been described as the longest artwork in the world. It’s hoped that a further 11 bridges in London will follow over the next year, with the ‘piece’ eventually spanning more than 8km.

After £250,000 of funding from City Hall, the cost of the rest of the project has been funded privately. More than 50 groups have been involved in getting it up and running, and a charity, the Illuminated River Foundation, was set up to to pay for the installation and maintenance of the lights.Artist Leo Villareal has created LED patterns that glow in sequence across the bridges, he spoke to Tidal Thames News last year, revealing how the history and

heritage of the Thames had inspired him. The next phase of the project, which will involve lights being installed on bridges from Blackfriars to Lambeth, is expected to be complete by autumn 2020.The designs were heavily influenced by impressionist and English Romantic painters and the lights are expected to stay in place for a decade.

London Bridges lit up by “World’s longest artwork”

>> Find out more

Paddy Keech (left) with last year’s winner Alfie Anderson

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Clipper race includes tidal Thames volunteer

>> Support Caroline’s cause here:

A huge crowd gathered at St Kat’s Dock to wish Clipper teams well on their Round the World journey. This endurance race stretches 40,000 nautical miles around the glob on 70-ft yachts. This year, the challenge started on the tidal Thames and the progress of one team, aboard Go to Bermuda, will be followed closely by tidal Thames charity: The AHOY Centre. That’s because travelling on two legs of that clipper’s journey is Caroline Speight, a former Volunteer of the Year at the AHOY

The AHOY works with hundreds of young people every year, to teach sailing and watersports.Caroline has been a committed volunteer rowing coach with AHOY for six years. Not only that, her first-leg journey is set to raise more than £20,000 for the charity.She said: “By sailing two legs of the Clipper Round The World Race I hope to raise some much-needed funds for a great cause.“The first leg will see us sail to Uruguay and then on to Capetown. Any donations will go directly to the

AHOY Centre and will be received with much gratitude.AHOY sailing instructor Tony Mason said: “Caroline’s love and passion for AHOY has now been taken international, because she will be raising money for the cause.“We wish her the best of luck on this adventure and look forward to hearing all about it when she returns.”

>> Find out moreCaroline Speight

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What’s it like to work on the liquid highway of history?

>> Find out more

The answer to the above question came from apprentices new and old at Careers On The Thames 2019. This year’s Thames Skills Academy event proved to be bigger and better than ever, with more than 150 career advisors, teachers, youth leaders and jobseekers boarding paddle steamer Dixie Queen for a fact and fun-filled cruise along the tidal Thames. It gave visitors a chance to learn about the river of opportunities that exists for anyone thinking about a life of work on the river. Part of the month-long Totally Thames Festival, passengers heard from speakers including MBNA Thames Clippers CEO Sean Collins, who outlined his career path and the opportunities there are in

maritime for everyone. Also there were Cory Riverside Energy, Bennett’s Barges, Livett’s Launches, PLA and City Cruises staff who answered questions about their route to work via an apprenticeship and the qualifications needed to do various jobs including in engineering. City Cruises captain Artem Bondarenko told the audience: “There are so many different people working on the river, so many skills and such a variety of things to do. It’s an absolute privilege to work on this liquid highway of history.” PLA marine apprentice Scarlett Barnett-Smith said: “I’ve wanted to work in the maritime industry since I was a little girl. Thanksfully, I was lucky enough to get a PLA

apprenticeship and since then I’ve learned so much. There’s something different every day.”Will Coombs, mate with Bennett’s Barges, revealed that he had the chance to take part in filming for a Bond film, TV ads and had once had a coffee with rapper Stormzy on his barge. TSA CEO Katherine Riggs said: “This event grows in popularity every year. It is a great opportunity to welcome people onto the Thames so they can explore a whole host of careers that they may never have considered and to learn about the apprenticeships on offe.”

>> Find out more

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>> See our photo gallery of the event

The sun was shining on the Tidal Thames as competitors from all four corners of the globe took part in the 32nd Great River Race.London’s “Other Marathon” annually sees more than 300 crews and about 2,000 rowers, in a variety of boats, race from Millwall to Ham (in Surrey) for a 21.6-mile challenge.The 2019 overall winner was Four Oars Brewery with a time of 2 hours 55 minutes. A staggered handicapped starting system, to take account of the various boat sizes, helped level the playing field. Our men’s team came first in the Services Trophy class.

Race organiser Stuart Wolff, who’s been running the Great River Race every year since 1987, said: “This year’s event went incredibly well, all things considered. We were extremely lucky with the weather and the conditions on the river were great too. “We’ve had very many emails from people who took part and they’ve been incredibly positive. We had rowers from Australia, America, Germany, Italy…even Kuwait. And I’ve already had enquiries for next

year’s race, from someone in Tazmania. The Great River Race, year on year, has become an international event.”

>> Find out more

Visitors to the Thames can now get stuck into the little-seen wildlife habitat below without getting their hair wet – thanks to stunning virtual reality tech-nology. Explorers are able to dive beneath the river’s surface using a viewfinder on the fore-shore. It lets them spot sharks, seals, seahorses and eels among other things – and it’s free to use. Guided by narration from Good Morning Britain’s Laura Tobin, users will learn about the distinctive fea-tures of the river’s wildlife as they explore. The peek underwater is thanks to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), whose experts have placed the view-finder on the river’s edge

outside One London Bridge, just five minutes’ walk from London Bridge Station. Thanks to conservation efforts, an astonishing 1250 fish species now call the tidal Thames home. Oysters, seals and seahorses live there, alongside endangered European eels and smelt (a small fish which smells of cucumber). Many of these amazing species are born and

nurtured in the river, before they venture downriver and out into the sea. ZSL has been working to protect the Thames and its inhabitants for more than 15 years, conducting population surveys, removing barriers for endangered species and conducting surveys to

understand and protect important habitats. Launching as part of our Mother Thames campaign and coinciding with London’s Totally Thames festival, the new virtual reality experience is free to take part in, where conservationists hope the experience will inspire users to protect it. 

VR safari underlines wildlife diversity

>> Find out more

another Great River Race

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New report aims at raising Thames’ global profile

>> Find out more

A just-launched report is set to help make the most of the tidal Thames’ cultural attractions, for the benefit of Londoners and visitors from all over the world. The Case for a River Thames Cultural Vision is packed with in-depth research and analysis about what needs to be done to ensure the river plays a full and vibrant role in London’s cultural life. It was jointly commissioned by us and the Greater London Authority (GLA) last year. Consultancy Publica, in collaboration with BOP

Consulting, canvassed views from a wide range of river stakeholders. The report was launched at the Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, just as the month-long festival Totally Thames reached its climax. The Case… aligns with the GLA’s priorities for promoting the city on the world stage and the PLA’s wider Thames Vision, setting out six targets for the economic, environmental and social resurgence of the river, to be delivered by 2035. The need for improved

communication and collaboration is central to the report’s recommendations for ensuring the river’s cultural offerings have impact both locally and around the world. As a result of the report’s recommendations, we have committed to establish a ‘one-stop-shop’ website, showcasing the full range of events and activities that take place on the river every year.

>> Find out more>> Find out more

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Tilbury:

Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid, along with home secretary Priti Patel, paid Tilbury a visit recently – to hear about planned new terminal Tilbury2, as well as Brexit preparations.Once operational, next spring, Tilbury2 will be home to one of the UK’s largest ferry ports. It’ll also contain the country’s biggest “construction processing hub”.Tilbury chiefs say they have doubled the size of their business over the past 10 years which is projected to double the volume across the quay (from 16 million to 32 million tonnes) and triple the direct employment (from 3,500 to 12,000 jobs) over the next 10-15 years.That growth is underpinned by the port’s £1 billion investment programme, of which Tilbury2 is a central part. It will include a new

rail and road connection, deep water jetty and pontoon, at a projected cost of more than £200 million.“Tilbury2 will add much-needed European-facing ferry capacity at a

crucial time for the UK economy,” said Carole Cran, chief financial officer of Tilbury-owners Forth Ports Group.

Ministers learn Brexit plans

>> Find out more

Tilbury owners Forth Ports has launched a new digital container tracking system app for customers using London Container Terminal.Available via the Forth Ports website, the tracking system gives customers the ability to enquire in real-time about the status of their container at Tilbury. The easy-to-use system has been designed to be accessible without the need for a login or password.By simply using a container number or booking reference, customers can locate up to 50 containers. These real-time, 24-7 updates reduce the need to directly contact the port for the same information.Stuart Wallace, chief operating officer at Forth Ports, said: “Streamlining of logistics processes and improved access to information are important aspects for customers importing, exporting or distributing their goods and we have invested in this new container tracking system to support this.”

Digital system keeps track of containers

The UK’s largest terminal for importing and exporting grain has celebrated its 50th birthday.Based at the Port of Tilbury, the terminal has processed more than 35 million tonnes of product since opening in 1969.It currently handles around two million tonnes of grain, wheat, barley and beans every year.It’s a vital link in the supply chain to global brands and the agriculture industry in the south east (as well as flour milling and bakery industries). The terminal regularly handles cargoes going into, and out of the UK and to countries across the world, including the USA, Canada, France, Thailand and Australia.The twin grain towers on site are fully automated and the terminal can discharge and load

vessels simultaneously. Grain brought into the terminal can be made into flour, to be used for every day goods stocked in supermarkets including pasta, baked goods and malt – used to make beer as well as soya found in baby food.Peter Ward, Tilbury’s commercial, director said: “This year marks a special anniversary for Port of Tilbury’s grain terminal which plays a huge role in supplying businesses from around the world with the grain needed to support their brands. The terminal also operates a monthly coastal shipping service from Tilbury to its sister port in Kirkcaldy, Scotland for Carr’s Milling.”

>> Find out more

50th anniversary for grain terminal

>> Find out more

The Port of Tilbury’s Annual Remembrance Day Service will be held on Monday 11th November 2019 at London Cruise Terminal.Refreshments will be served at 5pm and the service begins at 6pm. All are welcome

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London Gateway:

Train-naming ceremony at London Gateway

A train service between DP World London Gateway and the north of England has been highlighted after a train-naming ceremony at the port.The event, in conjunction with GB Rail Freight (GBRf), saw the unveiling of Class 66 locomotive “Made in Sheffield” – a nod to Newell and Wright (NWT) Transport’s base of operations. The loco was painted in NWT’s blue, white and red livery to mark the importance of the partnership

between NWT and GBRF.Last year, GBRf launched a five-day-a-week service carrying containers for MSC between London Gateway and NWT’s terminal in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.DP World chief executive Chris Lewis said: “We were delighted to be able to host the naming ceremony for this loco, dressed in Newell and Wright Transport’s colours. Their Rotherham terminal

provides an important hub from DP World London Gateway as rail becomes increasingly important in keeping cargo moving.”The ceremony at DP World’s 775- metre tail terminal, included Mayor of Thurrock Cllr Terry Piccolo. The terminal handles more than 45 services per week to destinations including Rotherham, Glasgow and Wakefield.

>> Find out more

London Gateway owners DP World have a new chief executive officer in the form of Ernst Schulze. He takes over from Chris Lewis, who’s retiring after a successful 36 years in the ports industry. Mr Schulze will oversee operations at both of DP World’s container terminals (in the Port of London and Southampton), the Logistics Park at London Gateway, as well as its Community Network Services. He moves to DP World’s UK arm from Ecuador where he was heading up the first deep-water port in that Latin American country, DP World Posoria. Before that, he was CEO at Embraport in Brazil. He’s also held port and logistics roles in the Philipines, France, Felixstowe and the Netherlands. Ernst Schulze said: “I’m really

looking forward to meeting staff, customers and our trade enabling partners over the coming weeks and months – and continuing the work that contributes to facilitating trade between the UK and every continent, making it more sustainable and more efficient.” Outgoing UK CEO Chris Lewis said: “It has been a privilege to

work alongside so many brilliant customers and colleagues over the years. I have had a great time and I’m proud of everything we’ve achieved. I wish Ernst and the whole of the DP World group every success over the coming years.”

Greenfingered bosses at London Gateway have committed to going greener by planting trees to help combat climate change.The port is planning to plant three hectares of shrubs and the same amount of woodland on its new Logistica Park.

>> Explore the park:

Shrub plans

>> Find out more

DP World gets a new CEO

Ernst Schulze

shipping week: greening agenda centre stage · clipper race includes tidal thames volunteer...

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