Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:14 PM Page 1

THE PORT OF AUTHORITY MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 WINTER 2007 Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:14 PM Page 2

Some people have a take off. Yet, within 10 years, shipping had perception that the Port’s taken an enormous stride: container carriers, C big dockside cranes and straddle carriers dead because they don’t A p became the norm. see many ships in the a r The merchant maritime world changed Comment centre of London. But flo incredibly quickly and this, more than the Port’s still thriving - it’s anything, spelt the end of the central London just moved east. docks - because they just couldn’t be su adapted to cope with the new generation of inf ships, and they couldn’t offer the freight Bu infrastructure to move the goods these vessels carried. ap served at sea for 11 years after leaving But the commercial Port of London didn’t on school, and I worked for the Port of disappear; it just moved down river. That’s bro London Authority for 32. During that why it’s so frustrating when people say the his time I’ve had jobs as varied as duty dock Thames is dead to shipping. master, port control officer and harbour People need to be honest with themselves of master at both ends of the tidal river, so when they think back to the ‘good old days’. his I’ve seen shipping and the Thames Days when, if you fell in the enclosed docks,

change dramatically. they didn’t ask if you’d swallowed any water, Th Each vessel that comes here today they pumped your stomach as a precaution ha loads and unloads faster, and carries because ships had probably (and quite Th illegally) just flushed their waste water over more goods than the ships I sailed an 40-odd years ago. the side. sp One of my ships took part in an unusual Today’s river has commerce; it has the th he trial during the 1960s - transporting vinyl potential to improve the nation’s records to Australia. It doesn’t sound that environmental performance; navigational ca unusual, but the way we were doing it was safety is better than ever; and there’s a th pretty revolutionary at the time. greater diversity in the type of craft on it. to m They’d been loaded into a 20ft metal In central and west London companies like container, similar to those you see stacked Sainsbury’s are looking at ways to utilise it bo in their thousands aboard modern vessels. and take vehicles off the road; the Olympics pr are offering new business opportunities for of We had the container lifted aboard by £4 a floating crane in London’s , Port operators; and, on the Essex coast, fo plans for the London Gateway development tr Editor: we lashed it down on the open deck, and Doug Kempster will make the Port the UK’s sailed for Australia. ap Design: leader once again. Eureka Marketing Solutions But when we reached w 020 7801 1480 Melbourne, the Australians The Thames isn’t just ex Photographers: didn’t have anything big alive and kicking, it’s Samuel Ashfield evolving. It’s a river with a Ferrari Press Agency enough to lift it off. fantastic future. John Neligan So dockers opened the Gavin Parsons C container on deck and Th London River House carried all the boxes of Royal Pier Road records off the ship by Th Gravesend £5 Kent hand. They landed the Today’s river has commerce; DA12 2BG, UK container empty and it has the potential to tid Enquiries: [email protected] then repacked it on improve the nation’s Telephone: the dockside. environmental performance; Gordon Dickins wi 01474 562 305 There must have been a navigational safety is better Course Director, ne For more information few people involved in that than ever; and there’s a Lloyds Port Management, on the Port of London Authority, go to: trial who later thought greater diversity in the National Sea Training gr www.portoflondon.co.uk container use would never type of craft on it. Centre ca

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River News

rs, Crewmen ’Unstuck’ A poorly fitted boat seat may have caused to cut the engine in the event of an a river accident that left three people accident - didn’t work. floundering in the Thames. Harbour masters have been told the RIB went off without its driver, tipping two on Initial harbour master enquiries suggest that trouble started when a rigid other crewmen into the river, before hitting a passing yacht and stopping. f inflatable boat (RIB) hit waves on Bugsby’s Reach. The Port of London Authority is now warning all RIB owners and users to check Witnesses say the vessel’s seat - which their fittings, and make sure their appears to have been held in place with “killcords” are attached to their boats Oil refinery manager Jon Barden has t one-inch screws and bathroom sealant - and working properly (Notice to praised fire fighters broke loose, throwing a crewman against Mariners No20 of 2007). who beat a blaze at his colleague at the helm. The Authority’s findings have been his plant and kept staff safe. It’s alleged the helmsman lost control passed to the Government’s Marine Coryton Refinery’s es of the boat as he fell over the side, and Accident Investigation Branch. own specialist crews, ’. his “killcord” - a piece of kit designed There were no injuries. backed by Essex Fire s, and Rescue Service, quickly brought the er, The world’s first ‘skimmer’ boats incident under control n have gone into service on the on October 31. Thames. A full investigation r The £4million craft, Clearwater I into the cause of the and Clearwater II, have been fire has now been specially built to collect sewer litter launched by oil that’s washed into the river during company Petroplus, heavy downpours. who bought the says the problem’s Thames refinery from caused by London’s sewerage system BP earlier this year. that was designed by the Victorians Jon said: “The to overflow into the river during emergency response major cloud bursts. team performed ke The company invested in the magnificently and boats as part of a £500 million showed that our s programme to improve the quality emergency procedures work well. r of the tidal Thames, including a £400 million upgrade programme “We’re sorry this for London’s major sewage has happened and t treatment works. we’re now carrying The Government has also out a full investigation approved plans for a tunnel in conjunction with which will catch sewage from the the appropriate existing Victorian overflow points. authorities. “The safety of our workforce, our neighbours and the refinery itself has Cash Boost for Boat Skills been, and will continue to be, our The Port of London Authority will boost The authority will also pick up the tab top priority." Thames boat skills by investing up to for all BML ‘Thames Local Knowledge £50,000 in marine training on the Endorsement’ courses, giving future tidal river. skippers the skills they need to navigate Over the next five years, the authority through London. will target people working towards the PLA chief executive Richard Everitt new Boatmasters Licence (BML). said: “This funding is good for It’s pledged to give a £500 training navigational safety, and it’s an investment grant to every new work-based BML in the future of the Thames as the busiest candidate in the Port. inland waterway in Britain.” Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:14 PM Page 4 River News

Thames Clippers has Susan Kramer MP, PLA Chairman Simon added four new luxury Sherrard and 220-seat vessels to its Launch Master Terry Wollen aboard Richmond Justine Greening MP fleet, increasing commuter capacity on the river. The 35-metre long Three Vessels, One Purpose Australian-built boats run every 15 minutes Three vessels, each built to of two special ceremonies and Susan Kramer at during peak periods boost navigational safety, in October. Richmond Lock. between and central London. have been named on the The PLA catamarans, The Galatea, a state-of- They also provide tidal Thames. designed to use less the-art ship built for buoy services as far east as . The Port of London power and cause less handling, wreck marking Authority patrol boats water disturbance than and hydrographic O Chelsea and Richmond and conventional river patrol surveying, was named Bri the Trinity House Vessel boats, were named by by the Queen near dip Galatea were at the centre MPs Justine Greening . T Eng Reg as W Joh pho Por L Wo The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh Galatea at Tower Bridge mil with Trinity House Officers Gre

Key Events Winter/Spring 07/08 T Por 15 - 17 December Bankside Frost Fair Outside Tate Modern, Southwark Council of- Bankside River Walk, Tourism Unit London SE1 020 7525 2296 exi I 22 January Partnership The Pier House, 020 8742 2713 Winter Talks – Blue Light Chiswick, W4 mil Services on the Thames T 19 February Thames Estuary Partnership The Pier House, 020 8742 2713 Gre Winter Talks – Riverside Chiswick, W4 the Chiswick Then and Now riv 28 February Schools Head of the River Race Putney - www.wsbc.org.uk/shorr site D 1 March Women’s Head of the River Race Putney - Mortlake www.wehorr.org des 15 March Eights Head of the River Race Putney - Mortlake www.horr.co.uk the

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-of- uoy ng Our Army of Readers British forces in Afghanistan have been Cruises in a previous life, and is a keen dipping into the Tidal Thames. Thames angler. These Royal Electrical and Mechanical He reckons our magazine has taken The UK’s only cane Engineers with 151 (London) Transport Thames coverage to a ‘great new level’. sugar refinery has imported two super Regiment were photographed in Kabul His unit, tasked with keeping 170 cranes to unload its as they caught up with news from home. armoured and military vehicles supply ships. Warrant officer class 1 (ASM) Drew operational in the war zone, is midway The massive 475 Johnston (centre), who forwarded the through a six month tour of duty and tonne machines, transported from photo, has strong links with London’s is due back in London towards the end Rotterdam, were towed Port. He was a marine engineer with City of February. up the Thames to Silvertown in October. At 60 metres, they’re taller than Last Nights of the Prom Nelson’s Column, and they cost sugar giants Workmen are paving the way for a multi- PLA head of property John Ball, who Tate & Lyle a total of £6 million. million pound redevelopment at negotiated the deal on behalf of the port The company says Greenwich Promenade. authority and joint site owners, the new machinery will The river frontage, part-owned by the Greenwich Hospital, said: “This will open up greater opportunities to Port of London Authority, will get a state- turn an inefficient eye-sore into a fully expand output from its of-the-art visitors’ complex to replace the functioning designer complex that befits Thames refinery, which existing sheds and kiosks. this World Heritage Site. has processed sugar since 1878. It will also benefit from around £1 “The redevelopment will take around million of improved flood defences. 18 months to complete and the PLA is The £7million project will give providing temporary ticket offices to Greenwich greater capacity to handle keep disruption to a minimum.” the increasing number of tourists and Day-to-day management of the passengers who pass through the complex will fall to Stonehurst who have rr site each year. taken a long leasehold from the PLA and Developers Stonehurst Estates have Greenwich Hospital. designed the complex to complement Management of the jetty will remain the town’s historic riverside. with London River Services. Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:15 PM Page 6

ransport chiefs have finished a multi-million pound rescue operation to stop Westminster Bridge eroding and, ultimately, collapsing into the Thames. Contractors, drafted in to know-how to the limit and it paid put The fast-flowing river had carry out the rescue works, off. The result’s a tribute to one started to eat into the Victorian were confronted by a series everyone involved.” out landmark’s central supports, of challenges when they arrived The engineers’ first task was to “ exposing their timber on site. build a submerged curtain of steel usi foundations. The bridge is a protected, sheeting around the two central ori And the weather had cracked historic, Grade II* Listed bridge supports. Gra the bridge’s decorative ironwork, tec structure. All work and Once that was in place, making it weak and brittle. contractors removed the silt So, in a major five-year inside the curtain, and pumped engineering project, its owners in special underwater concrete to Transport for London spent reinforce the crumbling Victorian the better part of £23 million structure. restoring the bridge to its former glory. Phiroz said: “It was quite risky. If we put the sheeting too close Project manager for the to the structure, we could have scheme’s initial works, Phiroz damaged it. Too far away, and Dalal, said: “We had to take action we’d not only reduce the and make sure it stayed safe. Lee Walker navigation channel width between “Westminster is one of the the supports, but we’d also upset most famous bridges in the world, We only had one chance the river flow. Water passing and it’s also a major artery for to get this right. We had through this narrower channel central London. to use every ounce of our would have moved faster and “Around 35,000 people and expertise to overcome increased the risk of future 30,000 vehicles use it every day. some pretty spectacular erosion.” Thousands more pass under it challenges The project team, taking Port on the Thames each year. of London Authority advice, “Doing nothing just wasn’t confined its river work to the an option.” modification is regulated by winter, when fewer boats are English Heritage. The river’s racing currents are around. This was essential notorious for undermining It’s also in the shadow of St because two of the three main London’s bridges. Twelve, Thomas’ Hospital and Parliament, centre spans had to be closed at including Westminster Bridge restricting the hours contractors the same time. itself, are replacement structures. could operate. It took the team just two The first Westminster Bridge And vessels and platforms winters to complete the scour was removed in the 1830s after moving around the site were protection work, but the 14 cast it started falling down. Today’s hampered severely by the iron fascias, weighing a total of bridge was opened in 1862. changing tides. 228 tonnes, still needed attention. cas “The latest damage was found The Port of London Authority's Their fragile state had made tha by divers on a routine inspection,” Lee Walker, who was a marine them a danger to navigation. said Phiroz. agent for contractors Mowlem T So Transport for London and opp “The bridge’s main foundations Marine at the time, said: “We only contractors Interserve and Hyder bri had one chance to get this right. are timber piles that are 145 years Consulting decided to replace mo Once committed, there was no old. them with a more modern, Th turning back. “They’re protected by a flexible, and tougher cast iron. ori concrete coat which stops the “We had to use every ounce of Ian Chapman, assistant project be water attacking them directly. But our expertise to overcome some manger, said: “There were no roa we found large sections of that pretty spectacular challenges. historical documents that could T concrete had been scoured away.” “We pushed our engineering shed light on how the Victorians of

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d put these together. So we removed vessels and divers to support the and those involved have done one and took it apart, to work it engineers, gave environmental us proud.” out for ourselves. advice, and liaised with boat In October Transport for to “We had to re-cast the fascias operators over river closures. London’s work on the bridge eel using the same metal as the Port control officers also gave fascias was recognised by the originals because of the bridge’s regular radio warnings to all craft Institute of Civil Engineers when Grade II* status. But modern on the Thames, updating them on it was ‘Highly Commended’ in the techniques meant we could use the works under way, and keeping ‘London Region Merit Awards’.

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t on. cast iron that’s a lot more robust them clear of the contractors. Phiroz said: “People who’ve than anything the Victorians had.” Harbour master David Foster seen the finished bridge say it The project team also took the said: “This was a particularly doesn’t look any different, and opportunity to upgrade the difficult project which had an that’s the biggest compliment we er bridge’s navigation lights using impact on river users and many could have. modern LED traffic light fittings. other organisations; the “We didn’t set out to redesign These will last longer than the cooperation between all those the bridge, or to change its originals, and have parts that can involved was outstanding. The character. We set out to make it ct be replaced easily with standard bridge repairs were a text-book road-side spares. operation. stronger, safer and fit for purpose. Throughout the works, the Port “We were willing this very “We’ve done just that - within s of London Authority provided demanding project to go well, budget and ahead of schedule.” Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:15 PM Page 8

on I nig K the at 2 int S con nig For to S a h Can bri abo W car sim She lar the A her mo M sto por ove lad T edg it’s 6.5 his nar ves P Bob for

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elmsman Kevin Cap’s helmsman a course to steer. Cooper noses “Where there’s a metre of water the pilot cutter under us, we’ve got to be very out of Ramsgate careful - if the sea swell gets harbour and up, we’ll have less depth in steers towards the troughs. an orange smudge “We’ve also got to watch our on the horizon. speed. If we go too fast, the water It’s nine in the morning and the passing between us and the sea night mist is fading. or river bed can cause a suction Kevin guns the throttle and, as that pulls the ship towards the the cutter carves through the sea bottom - we call it squatting. at 20 knots, his target sharpens “There’s a similar effect if into the shape of a ship. Bob Ward ships pass too close in a channel - She’s the Cap Cleveland, a they’re literally drawn into container vessel that’s spent the each other. You need to feel the night seven miles off Kent’s North “I’ve also got to keep an eye on Foreland, waiting for a rising tide ship moving beneath the wind because it can have a to carry her into the Thames. the soles of your feet major impact on the way a high- She’s huge - almost one and sided vessel like this behaves.” a half times the length of But the airs are light today, and Canterbury Cathedral, with a support boat nudges against the the Cap slides calmly through a bridge that towers seven storeys Cap’s hull, he grabs the ladder and maze of channels. The Fishermans above the deck. begins to climb. Gat takes her roughly north, then When fully loaded she can He’s met on deck by a member she swings left into the Black carry 1,400 large containers, each of the crew and led through a Deep - heading south west similar in size to a lorry trailer. labyrinth of walkways and towards the Thames. She’s also a Panamax - one of the stairwells to Captain Poprochalov A fog bank is hanging on the largest vessels to squeeze through Valeri on the bridge. horizon and, out here, it feels the Panama Canal. For the next four hours and 45 like the Cap’s gliding across the As the pilot cutter closes on minutes, Bob will be responsible open ocean. her, she literally blots out the for guiding this ocean-going giant Only the occasional marker morning sun. through the shoals and channels buoy gives a clue to the complex Midway along her deck, two of the tidal Thames. canyons, shallows and obstacles storeys above sea level on her It’s taken the ship just eight that run beneath this glassy port side, crewmen in yellow days to steam from Philadelphia, expanse of sea. overalls appear. They lower a rope but her time in the cross-currents Bob, a pilot for 17 years and ladder - it’s an invitation. of the Thames will be among the a seafarer since leaving school, The pilot boat starts to slow, most challenging. has two electronic GPS charts edging in towards the Cap until She’ll be riding a flooding tide, and two radar screens to refer it’s matching her boarding speed - so the water’s not at its deepest as to on the bridge. 6.5 knots. The sea’s slapping, she passes through the channels. They track the Cap’s progress as hissing and spitting through the In fact, in parts, she’ll have just she eases through the Knock John narrowing gap between the two a metre - the length of an adult’s Channel, dwarfing a rust-blasted vessels. leg - between her and the bottom. World War II fortress tower that Port of London Authority pilot “You need your wits about you shares the channel’s name. Bob Ward walks up to the cutter’s when you’re piloting a ship like “The technology is a great help,” fore deck and, as the 16 metre this,” says Bob, as he gives the he says. “But it’s not a replacement Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:15 PM Page 10

On the bridge

Ed Hadnett preparing to board the Cap

professional expertise At Coryton Oil Refinery, the T required to do this job Cap’s running at around eight the is considerable.” knots. The mist’s gone completely eno The Cap, packing and, in the blinding sunlight, the ahe goods as varied as river snakes away towards the T Cap Cleveland electrical items and west like a gold thread. Me refrigerated food, passes into the Bob’s checking a small black Th for traditional skills. Oaze Deep. The Shivering Sands notebook where he’s listed bea “There’s a time lag between the Tower and Kentish Flats Wind a number of landmarks and ma moment a ship manoeuvres and Farm are picked out against the waypoints on the river. Next “ when that registers on the screen, fierce blaze of the sun that now to these he’s pencilled his Bob so we’re always seeing a reflection hangs over Kent. expected arrival times. and of the past rather than a Through the Oaze and along Sea He says: “Before I’ve even rad prediction of the future. Reach, which cuts a swathe set foot on a ship, I draw up shi “That’s why you still need to between Southend and the Isle of a passage plan. I take a look has feel the ship moving beneath the Grain, Bob constantly adjusts the at the ship’s displacement, “ soles of your feet. You still have Cap’s course and regulates her its draught and speed. but to know where you are relative to speed. “I look at the time we’re ste the real world.” Now other ships are steaming expected on the berth. And I look “ Pilots are among our most out of the Thames and, off at the tidal predictions and ste skilled seafarers. They’ve been Southend, white flecks of yacht weather forecasts. (In fact, my B guiding ships through the Thames sails are scattered around the obsession with the TV weather the since the days of Henry VIII. And, pier. bulletins drives my wife mad.) bac for an island nation that relies on “Visibility’s always an issue, “On the back of this, I workout sid the sea for more than 95 per cent even on a clear day,” says Bob. what time we should pass various Me of its imports and exports, they’re “There’s a 400 metre blind spot markers on the way up the the crucial to the economy. directly under the Cap’s bow, Thames, and what the depth will C Ed Hadnett, the Port’s pilotage so a small craft that steers into be at these points. rad operations manager who’s that area won’t be seen from “At each marker, I compare the bow travelling with Bob, says: “Many of the bridge. ship’s performance against my tow our people commanded their own “Even if it is seen, a ship like calculations and, if I have to, B vessels at sea before they joined this doesn’t stop or turn on a adjust her speed to make sure tug us as trainee pilots. sixpence - in fact, when she’s we’re on time with enough water the “Unlike most ship’s masters, fully loaded, it could take under us.” the they can be navigating a relatively around 20 ship-lengths to Today, Bob’s timings have been N small coaster or “scoot” one day come to a standstill. spot on. Ser and ocean liners or an aircraft “That’s why the law says that The Cap winds up river through coo carrier the next. these smaller vessels must give Lower Hope, then swings into ves “The breadth of experience and way to us in these channels.” Gravesend Reach. ma

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On the bridge wing

Tilbury’s sprawling docks - Walking out onto the bridge Pilots by Numbers the journey’s end - feel close wing, which overhangs the side ely enough to touch. But the way of the ship, he talks the tug 73 sea pilots work the e ahead’s blocked. teams and Captain Valeri waters between the North Two Svitzer tugs, Cecilia and through the final stages of the Sea and Crayfordness. Mercia, are sitting mid-stream. complex manoeuvre. They don’t shift as the Cap The Cap’s no longer moving 12 river pilots take vessels bears down of them. It’s like a forwards, but sliding sideways between Gravesend and maritime stand-off. into a ‘parking space’ behind . “These two are crucial,” says another container vessel that’s Three bridge pilots Bob, thumbing towards the tugs already unloading. and taking out a hand-held VHF From the lofty bridge, the guide specialist cargoes radio. “The slowest speed this huge dockside looks deceptively through central London as ship can do is 6.5 knots and it small. But Bob isn’t daunted. far as Putney. has no brakes. “Everyone who works for the Six master mariners are “We can stop the engine Port, regardless of their but then we won’t be able to occupation, contributes to the currently training to steer her. same goal - the safe movement become pilots for the Port. ok “So these tugs are our of vessels on the tidal Thames,’ London pilots work from steering and brakes instead.” he says, as 35,000 tonnes of four stations - Gravesend, Bob talks into the radio and ship and cargo gently kiss the Sheerness, Ramsgate and the tugs break, Cecilia hurtling dockside and come to a backwards down the Cap’s port- standstill. Harwich - where special t side and disappearing astern; * Although the Cap Cleveland’s boats or cutters carry them us Mercia tucking, unseen, under large at 222 metres long and to and from ships travelling the bow. capable of carrying 2,824 teu between the Port and the l Captain Valeri, on a separate (20ft equivalent units), she’s open sea. radio, orders his crew to the not the biggest vessel to call e bow and stern, to take the tugs’ at Tilbury Container Services. Around 13,000 pilot towing lines. Earlier this year, Bob was boardings take place each Bob’s radio crackles, both second pilot aboard the year for a port that’s the tugs have put lines aboard - Sovereign Maersk - 347 third biggest in Britain. r they’ve strapped themselves to metres long, 8,050 teu. the Cap. en Now, with Tilbury Container Services almost alongside, Bob’s gh coordinating the crews of three vessels with all the calm of a man ordering pizza. Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:15 PM Page 12

Glenda Frost

These animals are out in the lenda Frost bottlenose whale reached “We know people want to Thames, and has a diver’s central London, a 10.4 help and that’s why we’re drysuit in her metre fin whale washed up providing them with many aren’t office. at Sheerness Docks, and a proper training to become strangers to It’s a good rare Atlantic white-sided medics like Glenda.” the London, one, got all dolphin was stranded near BDMLR was set up in the mod cons Leysdown. 1988 when a group of Kent and Essex - latex neck and cuff seals; Glenda said: “People divers in East Anglia set shore-lines double thickness tend to associate these out to help seals suffering reinforced knee pads; and mammals with more exotic from Phocine Distemper thermic neoprene-lined places. Virus. boots. “But the truth is, these Today the charity In fact, it’s the sort of kit animals are out in the teaches more than 400 any professional diver Thames, and many aren’t volunteer marine mammal would be proud of. strangers to the London, medics each year, But Glenda’s not a diver. Kent and Essex shorelines.” including some RSPCA Jason She’s a chartered In fact, a survey accountant. published this autumn by She’s paid to wade the Zoological Society of through numbers, not London, shows that through open water. bottlenose dolphins have Yet her bosses at the surfaced as far up river as Port of London Authority Tower Bridge; porpoises at know that buying her the Hounslow; common seals £700 kit is important for at Richmond; and grey the Thames. seals at Barnes. Because when Glenda Glenda’s PLA colleague, inspectors, vets, HM M isn’t accounting, she’s Jason Carter, is Kent Coastguard and police. dol helping stranded whales regional co-ordinator for Training isn’t restricted tec and dolphins through the BDMLR. to divers, people from all sig charity British Divers He said: “People have a walks of life become han Marine Life Rescue. lot of sympathy for marine medics. J The voluntary work she mammals, especially Glenda, whose patch wh does not only saves dolphins, but there’s an covers Kent, said: “We con individual animals, but incredible amount of don’t actually dive but we aro also gives marine confusion out there that are expected to wade into “Do environmental scientists a puts these animals at risk. the water with the animals. but clearer picture of what’s “We found one person “I signed-up after the the going on in our waters. trying to keep a stranded Thames whale incident. I thr Last year alone, more dolphin alive by pouring think that’s when it first cau than 100 dolphins, water down its blow hole. occurred to me that I could hav porpoises and seals were “He’d seen pictures of do more than just provide dog seen swimming in the river them spouting spray when financial support to charity, qui between Richmond and they surfaced, and that I could get involved in “ Southend. genuinely thought they the actual work they do - hum In addition the northern breathed water! be in the front line.” me

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Jason Carter with an Atlantic white-sided dolphin

Medics are taught basic whale, how hands-on they want to be roller coaster of emotions. dolphin and seal rescue with the charity. “My first call-out was to a dead 19 d techniques; how to spot common “Some get very heavily involved metre fin whale that had washed-up l signs of trauma; and how to and respond to out-of-hours call- on the shore at Camber Sands,” she handle and treat stranded animals. outs, others just do what they can, said. Jason, one of just three officers when they can.” “It was pretty gruesome - the who act as a BDMLR out-of-hours During the 12 months she’s been corpse had started to decompose, contact for emergency services with the charity, Glenda’s been on a and we spent hours gathering e around the country, said: samples for post mortem. o “Dolphins and seals may look cute “It was incredibly sad to see such als. but they can be very dangerous if a fantastic animal end up this way. they’re not handled properly. A “But moments like this are I thrashing dolphin or whale can balanced by times of great cause serious injuries. And seals satisfaction - keeping an eye on uld have a bite that’s worse than a Dave, a solitary dolphin, who lives de dog’s - any wound they cause can near Folkestone, for instance. ty, quickly become infected. “And being on 24 hour call-out, in “Our training reduces the risk to knowing that at any moment you - humans and animals, and we allow could be called on to make a medics to decide for themselves Fin whale at docks difference.” Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:15 PM Page 14

mergency boats were ordered into waters near the QEII Bridge after a simulated explosion ‘crippled’ a ferry. In a major training exercise, 999 crews and the Port of London Authority faced fire, casualties and . The scenario, specially written to put response teams under pressure, centred on the Cobelfret ship Celandine. counter-pollution teams Greenhithe, Kent, where, and around a real ferry. According to the got to grips with according to the It gave the teams an script, the ferry lost imaginary fuel that scenario, the Celandine’s opportunity to practice power following an was leaking from the captain had dropped boarding and evacuating engine room explosion damaged vessel. anchor to stop his ship casualties, and and, as it drifted The exercise was drifting. manoeuvring oil downstream, an played out in St Harbour masters, clearance equipment underwater obstruction Clements Reach off Kent’s emergency around a ship. ripped into its hull, services, and HM “Cooperation between spilling fuel oil into Coastguard coordinated the emergency teams and the water. the river response from the shipping and port Chief harbour master, the PLA’s Port Control in industry on this section David Snelson, said: Gravesend. of the river is “Safety’s our top priority Dock bosses at CdMR outstanding. This and we work hard to Dartford ferry terminal scenario has proved just ensure incidents don’t opened their jetty to how closely we all work happen in the first place. police and ambulance together.” “But it’s important crews. And Svitzer David Snelson we’re prepared for the Towage gave the fire Frank Davies, worst, and that’s what brigade its tug Redbridge managing director of this exercise was about. Safety’s our top to use as a floating base. Cobelfret’s agents It helped us identify priority and we work Throughout the Euroship, said: “Any ways to improve our hard to ensure exercise official incident on the Thames observers, using the involves a number of game should a real incidents don’t happen incident happen.” Maritime Volunteer emergency services, so Fire, ambulance and in the first place. But Service’s launch it’s important they can lifeboat crews who it’s important we’re I, monitored practice working boarded the ferry were prepared for the worst, the rescue operation. together. As a major confronted by a ‘blaze’ and that’s what this Steve Taylor, the Port’s operator in the Port, with emergency and security more than 6,000 vessel below decks and two exercise was about mock casualties. manager, said: “This movements on the river Outside on the water, exercise was unusual every year, Cobelfret was Port of London Authority because it was played on happy to take part.”

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Rescue tug arrives alongside Celandine Tidal Thames2.qxd 12/3/07 2:16 PM Page 16

Two of support boats, thousand turned out to competitors help. from around A spokesman the world for the event’s took to the organisers, said: Thames in “It was a great 280 boats day. There aren’t during one many sporting afternoon in events that September. attract so many The competitors.” rowers and The Hawaiian paddlers Outrigger Haku, were crewed by OCUK competing in One took overall the 20th Great River Race – a 22 first place. The PLA’s Magog, mile water marathon that ran crewed by the Oarsome 4some, from Richmond to Greenwich. came second in the Clayton Skiff The event, opened by rock category; and the Authority’s legend Sting, was so big that Penelope, with a mixed crew, more than 20 Port of London came 11th out of 24 Thames Authority staff, manning a fleet Waterman Cutters.