Estuary Services Limited (ESL), our subsidiary, were proud to host HRH The Princess Royal in Ramsgate to officially name Estuary Elise, a new, state-of-the-art pilot boat to join their fleet in supporting Pilot services.
L-R: PLA Chief Executive Robin Mortimer, PLA Chair Jonson Cox, ESL Engineering Manager Michael Heywood, Goodchild Marine Services Managing Director Alan Goodchild, ESL Managing Director Robert Brown, HRH The Princess Royal
Estuary Services Limited (ESL), our subsidiary, were proud to host HRH The Princess Royal in Ramsgate to officially name Estuary Elise, a new, state-of-the-art pilot boat to join their fleet in supporting Pilot services.
Estuary Elise is an ORC171 built by Norfolk-based family boat builders, Goodchild Marine Services Ltd. It uses a modern, fuel-efficient hull form, providing both greater service resilience and comfort, whilst supporting port customers. The vessel design also includes additional accommodation and extra capacity for customers.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, visited Tideway (18 September) as he committed to bringing together partners to clean up London’s rivers in the next 10 years. Joined by the Rt Hon Steve Reed MP, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the Mayor said he is determined to clean up London’s rivers.
The 25km Thames Tideway tunnel, which will become fully operational in 2025, will protect the river from sewage pollution with transformational environmental benefits. Sitting above the new infrastructure, Tyburn Quay, which the Mayor and the Secretary of State visited, is one of seven new riverside public spaces, offering never-before-seen views of the city.
The Mayor said: “For far too long London’s rivers have been neglected and damaged by sewage pollution. We have made great progress in cleaning our air in London and I’m committed to doing the same with our rivers.
“The Thames and its tributaries are the lifeblood of London and we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore waterways and create a future where our rivers are clean, safe and truly for everyone.
“I’m determined to bring together communities and partners to achieve this, working hand-in-hand with the new Government. I know that together we can make our rivers something that every Londoner can be proud of as we continue to build a greener, fairer London for everyone.”
In response, PLA’s Chief Executive, Robin Mortimer said:
“We absolutely support all efforts to clean up the Thames and London’s waterways, as set out in our Clean Thames Manifesto last year. We look forward to working with the Mayor on this.”
Now that the Thames Tideway Tunnel scheme is complete, the PLA is working with Thames Water (TWUL) to find a suitable cargo-handling operator for Middle Wharf, which is a Safeguarded Wharf in the London Borough of Wandsworth.
Middle Wharf is one of the best placed wharves in West London and it will contribute significantly to the modal shift of cargoes from road to water, consistent with London Plan policy.
The PLA and TWUL will consider cargo-handling operators’ initial technical and functional requirements for Middle Wharf, and so any proposals for new marine infrastructure, or dredging that the prospective operator expects, should be submitted with any expression of interest.
The deadline for written submissions is 14 October 2024.
A major exhibition at the London Museum Docklands, will showcase finds from the Thames foreshore and explore the historic role of mudlarks. This exhibition opens 4 April 2025.
Uber Boats by Thames Clippers are restarting their popular 40-minute boat tours of the art installation, Illuminated River, which transforms the capital at night, bathing nine of the bridges that cross the Thames in environmentally friendly LED light.
London, Cannon Street, Southwark, Millennium bridges were the initial bridges to undergo vivid night-time transformations in 2019; followed by Blackfriars, Waterloo, Golden Jubilee, Westminster and Lambeth bridges in 2021.
This week, we hosted our yearly public meeting for the middle district of the tidal Thames (17 September).
Topics discussed centred around our Thames Vision 2050 themes of Trading Thames, Destination Thames and Natural Thames.
Royal Approval
His Majesty the King has given his official approval to change the HQS Wellington to HMS Wellington (1934). Moored at Temple Stairs, Victoria Embankment, the Grimsby Class sloop was a commissioned Royal Navy warship between 1934 and 1947, and she has great local, national and international historic importance.
Commenting on His Majesty’s approval, Wellington Trust Chairman Professor Dominic Tweddle said:
“We are greatly honoured that His Majesty the King has graciously approved our proposed name change from HQS Wellington to HMS Wellington (1934).
This change of name in her 90th anniversary year is a true testament to her heritage as the sole surviving dedicated Battle of the Atlantic warship in Europe.”
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