Latest news and pictures from shipping on the Thames
THE THAMES Barrier was closed yesterday, exactly thirty-one years after it was first raised to protect London. London’s iconic flood defence system has been operational since 1982 but was first closed in response to a flood thread on February 1st, 1983. After that first closure in 1983, it would be almost three years before the barrier needed to be raised …
A DRAMATIC video has appeared on the internet showing the moment that the former cross channel ferry, the Pride of Calais, was beached at a Turkish breakers yard. The vessel, which had been renamed as Ostend Spirit for a short lived final spell with Trans Europa Ferries, comes surging on to land in the video which had already racked up …
THE GERMAN frigate SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN departed the capital earlier today. The Brandenburg-class warship had been moored alongside HMS BELFAST since Friday and departed through Tower Bridge this morning at 10.10. She was the second naval visitor to the Upper Pool of London so far in 2014, following a visit by the Royal Navy’s HMS ARGYLL by just a few days. …
A FRIGATE from the German navy arrived in London early on Friday morning. SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEN reached the capital and moored alongside HMS BELFAST a short time before sunrise. The visit by the Brandenburg-class frigate comes just a few days after a visit by the Royal Navy frigate, HMS ARGYLL. Later this year, the 139-metre vessel which was built in the early …
THE RNLI have rescued a man from the river by Waterloo Bridge. The crew from the RNLI Tower station sprung into action ninety seconds after members of the public who witnessed the incident raised the alarm on Thursday (23rd) evening at about half past five. Lifeboat helm Keith Cima said: “We could see from where the crowd of people were …
HMS ARGYLL has left London after a five day port visit to the capital. She arrived in the small hours of Wednesday morning and moored alongside HMS Belfast. It was her first visit to London in fifteen years. This afternoon she departed London, with Tower Bridge lifting for her exit at 16.05. She was escorted out by Svitzer tugs LACEBY …
TYPE-23 frigate HMS ARGYLL arrived in London late last night for a five-day port visit. The Duke Class vessel passed Greenhithe (pictured above and below) shortly before midnight and transited through Tower Bridge at 01:45 where she moored alongside HMS BELFAST. Crew members will take the opportunity to enjoy a tour of the Houses of Parliament and the Guildhall while …
EMERGENCY services responded this morning after a man fell in the Thames near Waterloo Bridge at 8am. The Metropolitan Police’s Marine Policing Unit, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and RNLI responded and the man, aged 70, was pulled from the water after five minutes. He was taken to an east London hospital by Air Ambulance where his condition is described as …
THE ENVIRONMENT Agency has issued warnings to areas along the Thames as the river’s level continues to rise. The swollen river has burst its banks in several locations causing localised flooding and road closures along the non-tidal stretch. Following weeks of bad weather and an almost record breaking number of consecutive Thames Barrier closures, flood alerts have been issued at …
The Thames Barrier has closed for the first time in 2014 to protect the capital from rising river levels. High water levels recorded at Teddington weir combined with spring tides caused the Environment Agency to take preventative action. The closure today is the first of several that are predicted over the coming days. The Barrier has been closed in response …
