Assessment of Boatyard Facilities on the River Thames - Mayor of ...

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• A hoist dock and travel capable <strong>of</strong> lifting vessels up to 65 tons and 21/22 metres
long by 6.8 metres beam – providing it is properly balanced;
• Workshops;
• Offices;
• A new workshop building for the grit blasting chamber – large enough for buoys
and small craft; and
• Hardstanding
PS plans to harden <strong>of</strong>f more <strong>of</strong> the inner quay to provide hard standing for vessels
lifted by the travel hoist. The main constraint is the width <strong>of</strong> the gate in the flood wall.
Denton Wharf is available for use by third parties and users include:
• Thames Clippers (the small 62 seater catamaran);
• Briggs Marine and other watermens’ mooring boats;
• Capital Pleasure boats;
• Van Orde Dredging;
• Private individuals.
The facilities at Denton Wharf are not sufficient to maintain all the PLA’s craft. The
patrol craft are maintained at Gillingham Marina. The salvage craft (30 x 10 metres x
300 tonnes) is refitted at ABP Port <strong>of</strong> Lowest<strong>of</strong>t.
Port <strong>of</strong> Tilbury
JT - Silver Sturgeon is being refitted in a berth at Tilbury. The work is internal and the
berth provides security, power and road access. JT urged MA to talk to Tom Woods
about the need <strong>of</strong> Woods River Cruises for boatyard facilities.
PS said that the caisson <strong>of</strong> Tilbury dry dock had been removed and the smaller dry
dock had been used as a dump so it was unlikely to be practical to seek to bring either
facility back into use.
Gallions Point Marina
MA said that the GLA had asked him to identify opportunities to provide facilities to
maintain larger vessels such as the Thames Clippers. There is just one site that
seems to present a good opportunity. This is land adjoining Gallions Point Marina that
forms part <strong>of</strong> the Newham College site that is currently being used for construction
training (John Laing Training). There are a variety <strong>of</strong> opportunities that include a dry
dock slipway using a former dock entrance or alternatively utilising land that forms
part <strong>of</strong> Gallions Point Marina. Access for vessels is available either through KGV lock
or for smaller vessels through the lock that adjoins the marina.
The advantage <strong>of</strong> this site is that it is understood to be owned by the LDA, public
safety zone restrictions for London City Airport prevent its use for intensive
development such as residential and the site is allocated for marine employment
floorspace. London City Airport has an interest in securing a slipway into the River
Thames for emergency rescue craft in this location.
JT said that the PLA would support a facility in this location. PS said that there may
be difficulty in obtaining adequate access for a slipway and it may be better to
consider a hoist dock. This would also enable vessels to be moved around a larger
site.
Site visit
A site visit took place after the meeting and PS showed the party around the new
facilities that the PLA has established.
Mike Adams
Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd.
24th January 2007
<strong>Assessment</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Boatyard</strong> <strong>Facilities</strong> on the River Thames Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd - April 2007