Tidal Thames4.qxd 6/20/08 4:45 PM Page 1 THE PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY MAGAZINE b ISSUE 4 b SUMMER 2008 Tidal Thames4.qxd 6/20/08 4:45 PM Page 2 Drinking the Thames Rower R The Government has published a Thousands of Londoners could soon be at increased risk of water A rower was dragged raft of proposals to boost safety in be drinking Thames tidal water. restrictions in future droughts if port authority crewme ports and at sea. Ministers say their Marine Work on the capital’s first we don’t have additional sources tide wedged her traini Navigation Bill will improve the ship desalination plant has been given of water. against a jetty. management powers of harbour the go-ahead after City Hall and “The desalination plant is a vital The casualty had be authorities, the Transport Secretary, and the General Lighthouse Thames Water ended a long-running part of our response to this near Denton Wharf, G Authorities. wrangle over its future. situation. We want it to provide when the current caug It will also minimise the London mayor Boris Johnson more safe, clean drinking water for side-on and rammed i environmental and financial impact called off a court action to block the of managing wrecks. Londoners by 2010. Shipping minister Jim Fitzpatrick treatment works in May. Now the “Desalination is more energy said: “The standards of maritime plant, the first to convert salt intensive than conventional water safety in the UK are high and the Thames water into fresh drinking professionalism of those who treatment, so we’re committed to water, should be completed by manage our shipping and ports is running the plant only when it’s second to none. Accidents are late 2009. essential, and to providing 100 per thankfully rare, but when they do The complex has been mired in happen the consequences can be cent of its power from renewable dispute since its first planning catastrophic. energy.” “This draft Bill brings together a application in 2004. When operational, the plant will number of measures to allow the It’s been the subject of council relevant authorities to manage debates, appeals and a Public produce around 140 million litres safety better and keep our seas and a day – enough to supply 400,000 ports safe.” Inquiry. The draft Bill would give the Last year it got the go-ahead from people. Government powers to compel ship Government, but former mayor, Ken It will take water from the tidal owners to remove wrecks, and Thames at Beckton, process it, and improve the regulation of pilotage Livingstone, launched a legal exemption certificates. challenge in the High Court. then pump it through a new pipeline The Government is consulting on David Owens, Thames Water’s to a reservoir in Essex, for the proposals until 25 July 2008, and chief executive, said: “London’s distribution to customers across London's chief harbour master David Cheetah Snelson will be giving evidence to the rapidly growing population will North East London. Transport Select Committee. the Wate The Port of London Au charting the river with Editor: Doug Kempster £115,000 catamaran. Design: The 7.9 metre surve Eureka Marketing Solutions went into service with 020 7801 1480 Photographers: UK’s busiest port hydr Samuel Ashfield, departments during th Ferrari Press Agency, John Neligan, The craft replaces t Andy Wallace, authority’s 10-year-old Keith Cass, boat Brent, and will w Nicholas Leach, ZSL alongside sister vesse Port of London Authority and Yantlet, covering London River House between Teddington a Royal Pier Road Gravesend North Sea. DA12 2BG, UK The new cat, called Enquiries: London’s seaborne cargo topped 50 million tonnes for the seventh year in a row during was built by Cheetah [email protected] 2007. The figure included more than a million artic-lorry sized box containers (two the Isle of Wight. It’s p Telephone: million teu). 01474 562 305 Overall trade in the port rose by more than 1.5 per cent on the previous year to twin Honda 135hp ou For more information 52.7 million tonnes. motors, giving it a ma on the Port of London Authority, go to: The Port of London Authority’s annual review, published in May, also revealed that speed of 28 knots. An www.portoflondon.co.uk cargo shipped between Thames wharves and jetties continued to run at more than two million tonnes. with £200,000-worth equipment including s 2 Tidal Thames4.qxd 6/20/08 4:45 PM Page 3 River News Rower Rescued from River d risk of water A rower was dragged to safety by support piles. whipped her out of the craft and future droughts if port authority crewmen after the The Port of London Authority’s under the jetty. additional sources tide wedged her training scull Steve Mordue heard her calls for Further along the wharf, Steve’s against a jetty. help as she struggled to get free of colleagues Ian Yarnton and Kevin nation plant is a vital The casualty had been rowing the capsizing scull. Ridley saw the drama unfolding sponse to this near Denton Wharf, Gravesend, He threw her a life ring and and launched a PLA support boat. want it to provide when the current caught her boat rescue line, and stopped her from They weaved through the piles, an drinking water for side-on and rammed it into two being washed away as the torrent positioning themselves 2010. downstream of the casualty before on is more energy nudging through the current n conventional water towards her. Kevin caught hold of the rower we’re committed to as the boat closed in on her, and lant only when it’s both he and Ian hauled her to to providing 100 per safety. wer from renewable Ian then wheeled the boat through 180 degrees, and chased ational, the plant will the scull which had dislodged nd 140 million litres from the jetty and swept past h to supply 400,000 them during the rescue. He said: “It was only about an water from the tidal hour or so after high water, so the ckton, process it, and current was nowhere near at its through a new pipeline strongest, yet the force was in Essex, for considerable. o customers across Cheetah – New Cat on “It was a real reminder of how ndon. treacherous the Thames can be.” The rower was shocked and the Water cold, but uninjured. The Port of London Authority is art multibeam echo sounders for charting the river with a new measuring the depth and shape of £115,000 catamaran. the river bed. The 7.9 metre survey vessel Unlike its mono hull went into service with one of the predecessor, Galloper’s twin hulls UK’s busiest port hydrographic and low centre of gravity make it departments during the spring. a very stable working platform. The craft replaces the Deputy port hydrographer John authority’s 10-year-old survey Dillon-Leetch said: “This boat will boat Brent, and will work be a regular sight along the tidal alongside sister vessels Verifier Thames wherever the water is and Yantlet, covering the river shallow and more difficult for our between Teddington and the larger survey boats to navigate. Plans for the world’s biggest wind farm look uncertain after oil giant Shell said it North Sea. “Galloper is also small enough wants to quit the project. The new cat, called Galloper, to fit onto a trailer, making it The company is one of three energy nth year in a row during was built by Cheetah Marine on easier to transport when we’re firms behind the London Array – a Thames Estuary development that could d box containers (two the Isle of Wight. It’s powered by doing survey work for other house up to 341 turbines and produce the previous year to twin Honda 135hp outboard organisations around the enough power to supply a quarter of motors, giving it a maximum south coast.” London’s homes. May, also revealed that speed of 28 knots. And it’s fitted The boat takes its name from a E.ON, one of the three wind farm to run at more than two backers, said the news had “introduced a with £200,000-worth of sandbank in the outer Thames new element of risk into the project equipment including state-of-the Estuary. which will need to be assessed”. Tidal Thames4.qxd 6/20/08 4:45 PM Page 4 New Bas Developers have been green light to start bu Thames base for the w biggest container ship London Gateway wa River News Harbour Empowermen shipping minister Jim in May. Work on the major d terminal – the UK’s fir years – is now expecte later this year. Crews have rowed two The Gateway will m Thames Waterman the UK’s biggest port b Cutters from London the river’s annual carg to Paris in a 417 nautical mile capacity by 3.5 millio marathon. Three in a Row? (twenty foot equivalen The route took the creating around 12,00 boats Langstone Michael Russell and his team of watermen its Thames Clippers rivals by just 0.02 It will be the bigges Cutters and Le are hoping to snatch their third seconds. Figarow from development in the Po Westminster Bridge, consecutive victory in a traditional river “It doesn't get any closer than that,” down the Thames to race…by rowing an 18-tonne barge up the said Michael, a PLA diver. ‘“And this year’s Ramsgate, across the Thames.