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Marine services guide

Safety cover for an event on the Thames

Regattas, swims, races, parades and fireworks on the tidal Thames all need the Port of London Authority’s consent, and the PLA looks hard at the safety cover. Here is what it asks for, and how to plan the boats.

By the Cinecraft team: skippers and drone pilotsFacts checked 26 Oct 20264 min read

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At a glance

  • Any event on the tidal Thames needs the consent of the PLA’s harbour masters under Thames Byelaw 9. Talk to them at least four weeks ahead, or six for a non-rowing, non-sailing event in or near an SSSI.
  • You send a risk assessment and an event plan. The PLA expects it to cover failure of the safety cover, people overboard and the weather limits for calling it off.
  • On the day, the safety and rescue boats must be able to talk to other vessels and London VTS on marine VHF.
  • Call London VTS before the start and again after the finish.

Thames Byelaw 9 covers recreational and sporting events, races, sponsored events, displays, regattas, rallies, demonstrations, cultural events and fireworks on the tidal Thames. The organiser asks the PLA’s harbour masters for consent at least four weeks before the date, and the PLA asks you to talk to them before you do any detailed planning.

A non-rowing or non-sailing event in or near a Site of Special Scientific Interest also goes to the PLA’s environment team, so allow six weeks. If it could affect a designated habitat, Natural England’s permission comes first. Above Teddington Lock the river is not tidal and the Environment Agency is the navigation authority, so an event there is a conversation with them instead.

What goes in the risk assessment

The PLA wants a formal risk assessment and an event plan with the numbers taking part, the timetable and the locations. Its guide lists what it expects to see as a minimum:

  • collisions, with other competitors and other river users
  • contact with piers, buoys and moored vessels
  • grounding and mechanical breakdown
  • failure of the safety cover
  • people overboard
  • weather limits for calling the event off, with actual figures: wind, temperature, visibility, the sewer overflow (CSO) status and the ebb tide flag
  • how the event is abandoned if something goes wrong
  • evidence of insurance
  • the river environment, litter and materials
  • whether you need safety cover, and checks that the safety boats are suitable

Talk to the District Harbour Master early about the detail. You have to carry out every safety recommendation in your risk assessment, and anything the harbour master asks for.

Planning the safety boats

The number of boats comes from the course, not a rule of thumb: how long it is, how many people are on or in the water, how far they spread out, the tide and the traffic. Each boat needs its own stretch to watch and a quick way to get a casualty ashore, so the plan names the landing points along the route as well as the boats.

Any boat that is not a pleasure vessel has to show the harbour master its PLA licence or MCA certificate, and every boat carrying people or goods must be in the charge of someone qualified under the PLA byelaws. Get both from your safety boat provider before the plan goes in.

From our jobsThe Thames Swim Against SewageSurfers Against Sewage swam from Teddington Lock to Westminster. Our safety boat stayed with the swimmers the whole way, through the bridges and the traffic of central London, with a rescue plan agreed before the start.Read the job

After consent

The harbour master sends a PLA Letter of Consent, which you sign and return before the event. Confirm the number taking part with the District Harbour Master at least one working day ahead, and get any exemption from the byelaws for the event, such as Byelaw 16, confirmed in writing.

Extra PLA services are charged for: a harbour launch to control traffic, a river closure, or a Notice to Mariners. If the event is corporate, branded or filmed, talk to the PLA’s corporate affairs team early, because those need a commercial licence, and professional filming needs a filming licence. The PLA also suggests talking to HM Coastguard, the local emergency services, the RNLI and the local council.

On the day

  1. Check the conditions

    Make sure the weather and the river are inside the limits in your risk assessment before anyone goes afloat.

  2. Boats on station

    Safety and rescue boats in position, each able to talk to other vessels and London VTS on marine VHF.

  3. Call London VTS

    Before the start and after the finish. West of Crayfordness, VHF 14 or 0203 260 7711. Crayfordness to Sea Reach No. 4, VHF 68 or 01474 562 215. East of that, VHF 69 or 01474 562 215.

  4. Stand down last

    The safety cover stays on the water until everyone taking part is ashore.

Rowing events

Rowing adds a layer on top. Unless the regatta is confirmed for self-assessment, British Rowing’s Thames Regional Rowing Council wants the risk assessment, safety audit and plan with its regional safety adviser at least six weeks before the race. The heads set their own rules for the cover too: the Hammersmith Head keeps safety cover on until half an hour after the last crew finishes.

Before the plan goes to the PLA, because the boats, their licences and their crews go into it. So at least four weeks ahead, and earlier for a big event.
Yes. The PLA wants safety and rescue craft that can talk to other vessels and London VTS on marine VHF.
No. A safety boat’s crew watch the people, not the shot. If you want the event filmed, run a camera boat as well.

Sources

Need safety cover?Tell us about the event or the site. We reply within the hour, 8am to 8pm, 7 days.

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Marine services

Read next

Safety boat hire for events and works
Rescue boats for work over water
Filming a swim on the Thames
River traffic and events on the Thames
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