Newsletter 6-Mar-25

Please click on below link for the document

Sizewell C Statutory Harbour Authority

SZC_Letter_to_SC_YC HASA briefing Feb 25

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Tidewater Tunnel contractors start working at Chelsea Reach.

The tidewater tunnel contractors are starting working on their project at Chelsea reach. A long way up the Thames however, at times raw sewage will be pumped into the Thames. Orange lights will flash at Chelsea. HUMAN POWERED CRAFT SHOULD TAKE SPECIAL CARE. See Below.

Notice Ref	M23-25
Issuer	Cathryn Spain
Issuer Role	Senior Harbour Master
Issue Date	18/02/2025
Expiration Date	01/06/2025
District	Middle
Reach(es)	Chelsea Reach

Mariners are advised that from 21st February 2025 Tideway Tunnel contractors working on Chelsea Embankment Foreshore site will start work to remove the remaining cofferdam sheet piles to the front of the site. Approximately 2 weeks from this date the Combined Sewer Outfall (CSO) will be diverted directly to the river.

The CSO may discharge rain-water and untreated sewage into the river whenever there is, or has recently been, rain in the local catchment area. The discharge amount and velocity will vary, but during a storm this could be around 6 knots, lessening further from the outfall.

Lower powered and less manoeuvrable vessels should be aware of the possibility of cross currents and the potential of an eddying effect and adjust their passage accordingly (example modelled flow velocities are included at the end of this Notice). Human powered recreational craft are advised not to pass the area when there is a discharge occurring.

The location of works and approximate location of the CSO on the site is shown in red on the chartlet below:

A set of warning lights will be mounted vertically in front of a black backboard on the terracing above the CSO. The location of the light is shown on the chartlet (shown as a black star).

The lights will flash a yellow alternating 1 second pattern, visible day and night at a range of up to 200m, whenever the CSO is discharging or likely to discharge. Tideway advise the lights will activate approximately 4.5 minutes before any discharge will occur. If the lights are flashing human powered craft are advised not to pass in front of the site as the warning time may not be sufficient to clear the area before a discharge occurs.

Warning light mounted near CSO

Site image showing remaining piles and CSO warning light

CSO discharge alerts and warnings will be broadcast by London VTS on Ch 14. Additionally, the live status of each CSO is available on the PLA website, www.pla.co.uk/cso-status.

Routine VTS broadcasts will also include a warning if Tideway inform us there is a likelihood there will be a discharge from the site within the next hour.

Human powered recreational craft, lower powered vessels and craft engaged in towing are advised to avoid the area over the slack water period (around 2 hours over low water and around 1 hour over high water), or if there has been heavy rain and to be vigilant if there is a Met Office weather warning for rain or storms in force for the London area.

The CSO is partly connected to the tunnel which will intercept some of the discharges, but any larger storms and rain downpours may result in a discharge directly into the river. The Tunnel is expected to be in full service from Mid 2025. A new Notice will be issued at a later date to advise of permanent Tideway Tunnel operations.

All mariners are advised to exercise caution when passing the site, remain outside of the works area (marked in purple on the chart) whilst construction works are ongoing and to pay attention to warnings given.

Further information on the characteristics of the CSO discharges, assessments of risk and potential impacts on mariners, which were undertaken by Tideway’s designers, are available on their website. Go to www.tideway.london/contact-us/document-library* and follow the link to CSO DISCHARGES – RISK TO NAVIGATION*. Mariners should consult these documents when passage planning.

(*This link will take you to a third-party website which does not belong to the Port of London of Authority and may have different security, privacy and accessibility standards.)

Example discharge plume and velocities in m/sec for a 1 year return period discharge

(1 m/sec = 1.94 knots)

Low Water slack (Difference in depth-averaged currents)

Example discharge plumes and velocities in m/sec for a 15 year return period discharge

(1 m/sec = 1.94 knots)

30 minutes before Low Water slack (Difference in depth-averaged currents)

10 minutes before Low Water slack (Difference in depth-averaged currents)

Low Water slack (Difference in depth-averaged currents)

Low Water slack (Depth-averaged currents)

10 minutes after Low Water slack (Difference in depth-averaged currents)

Last updated: 2025-02-23 21:40:41

Notice Ref	P4-25
Issuer	James Stride
Issuer Role	Chief Harbour Master
Issue Date	12/02/2025
Expiration Date	31/12/2025
District	Portwide
Reach(es)

This Notice supersedes and replaces P3-25, which is hereby cancelled.

On 12 Feb 25, the PLA’s Port Control Centre (PCC) adopted new ways of working as part of the multi-year Marine Centre Transformation Programme. This means, the PLA has separated the Duty Port Controller (DPC) role into two discrete functions – Watch Manager for supervision of the VTS function and a Head of Port Coordination (HPC) for oversight of the pilotage planning function.

This NABSO / NTM is to explain the change of communications for those who previously liaised with the DPC role.

Of note, this does not change the PLA’s normal communication channels with the VTS / Pilotage functions which remain as follows:

Port Control Centre, Gravesend

Call Sign London VTS
Location Gravesend
Telephone +44(0)1474 560311 (3 lines)
Frequency VHF Ch 68, 69, 18, 20

Thames Barrier Navigation Centre, Woolwich

Call Sign London VTS
Location Woolwich
Telephone +44 (0)203 2607711
Frequency VHF Ch 14, 22, 09

General Operational Enquiries

E-mail: shipcon@pla.co.uk

Pilotage Administration Office Port of London Authority

Location London River House, Royal Pier Road, Gravesend, Kent DA12 2BG
Telephone +44(0)1474 562362
E-mail pilotage@pla.co.uk

The DPC role was responsible for both the supervision of PCC’s VTS operation as well as the supervision of the pilotage function. Under the new working arrangements, the leadership of the PCC VTS operation has become the responsibility of a Watch Manager. The pilotage function, which includes vessel planning, has become the responsibility of the Head of Port Coordination (HPC). This role is undertaken by Class One Pilots, who review the detail of orders from Agents and Terminal Planners to ensure safe and efficient voyage planning and the effective utilisation of the PLA’s pilots.

New Contact Details for the Watch Manager / Head of Port Coordination (HPC) are as follows:

Watch Manager – for live VTS issues

Telephone: +44(0)1474 562215
Email: Watch.Manager@pla.co.uk

Head of Port Coordination – for previous DPC discussions on orders etc.

Telephone +44 (0)1474 562213
Email: HPC@pla.co.uk

Last updated: 2025-02-23 21:33:25

Newsletter 23-Jan-25

Dredging Works at Shotley Marina Mariners are advised that dredging works will be taking place at Shotley Marina from 06 January 2025 for approx. 5 weeks. Works will take place Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 16:00. Contact Shotley Marina (VHF Ch.80) for further information.

Or visit https://hha.co.uk/news/notices-to-mariners/

Newsletter 19-Dec-24

By HASA secretary c/o Orwell Yacht club

Come and sail Nancy Blackett!

We are recruiting local skippers and mates to help us fulfil our ambitious 2025 sailing programme.

When volunteering you sail for free. Nancy can also be booked for private use at highly competitive rates.

Membership of the Nancy Blackett Trust costs just £25.

Interested? Take a look at our website https://nancyblackett.org/

Contact Mark Taylor to find out more. sailingsec@nancyblackett.org

Nancy Blackett, a 28 ft Bermudan Rigged Cutter built in 1931. was owned by children’s author Arthur Ransome and is the lead character, under a different name, in his novel ‘We didn’t mean to go to sea’.

Update about the Black Deep and the Port of London

General Directions

I have today received details from the Deputy Harbour Master of the Port of London Authority. The response is clear so I cannot do better than quote the details.

“The PLA General Directions for Navigation were recently reviewed and, following consultation, were amended. However, GD 17.5 (which prohibits vessels with draught less than 6.0m using the Black Deep except with VTS permission) was not amended in the recent review exercise and so continues in force unchanged as it has done for several years now. You are correct that the purpose of this regulation is to separate smaller vessels which are capable of safely using the other channels from the largest ships which, by reason of their draught, can only navigate in or out of the Thames via the Black Deep & Knock John Channels. By reducing the density of traffic in this area, we hope to afford greater sea room (as far as practicable in a narrow channel) to these very large ships and reduce the risks of traffic conflicts. Additionally, one-way working is in force when ultra-large containers ships are transiting the Knock John Channel (as per GD 17.1f, although a secondary channel has been established (GD 17.2)), so excluding small ships from these channels reduces risks of traffic congestion in the one-way working zone.

PLA regulations (such as Thames Byelaws, General Directions and Pilotage Directions) do apply to pleasure vessels in the Thames, although there are sometimes other qualifiers (for example, size or area limitations) which operate to disapply certain regulations in certain cases. In this case, GD17.5 does indeed apply to small pleasure vessels, who must not use the Black Deep Channel except with permission from London VTS. I understand that smaller pleasure vessels, possibly using a handheld VHF radio, may have difficulties communicating with London VTS while out in the Estuary. We recently had a yacht skipper telephone us the day before making his passage to discuss using the Black Deep, as he anticipated being unable to effectively communicate by VHF while afloat at the relevant position, and this may be an option for sailors to consider.

In terms of a small pleasure vessel wishing to cross the Black Deep east-west while on passage, it is unlikely that London VTS would refuse permission (except, perhaps, requiring the pleasure vessel to wait a short time for underway large vessel traffic to pass). In the case of a small pleasure vessel wishing to navigate along the Black Deep Channel as far as Foulger’s or Fisherman’s Gats, It is also unlikely London VTS would refuse permission (again, with the exception of possible short-term waiting for traffic). However, I would expect London VTS to refuse permission to a small vessel wishing to navigate along the Black Deep and on through the Knock John Channel. Circumstances where permission for a small pleasure vessel to use any part of the Black Deep may be refused may include (but are not limited to) restricted visibility, heavy weather, on-going incident response in the vicinity, project towage or other non-routine vessel navigation operations. The officers at London VTS are authorised to act on behalf of the Harbour Master and have discretion to make decisions in the interests of safe and orderly traffic movements based on their professional judgement at the time.

To summarise:

Recreational sailors should, if reasonable, consider avoiding the Black Deep entirely (and ideally all of the channels used by large commercial vessels). If doing so would be unreasonable and it is intended to use the Black Deep, recreational sailors must request permission from London VTS in advance of proceeding into the Black Deep and must be aware that it is possible permission may be refused. If VHF communications difficulties are expected, recreational sailors should make advance contact with us by telephone to discuss their intentions and, additionally, still attempt to call London VTS by VHF at the relevant time (My emphasis). It is likely (but not guaranteed) that, under normal circumstances, permission will be quickly granted to small pleasure vessels wishing to cross the Black Deep Channel east-west or wishing to proceed along the Black Deep bound to or from Foulger’s or Fisherman’s Gats, but not onward passage via Knock John.

In case of an incident, whatever the wider circumstances, in any investigation, a dim view would be taken of a recreational sailor who either failed to research the applicable port authority regulations and/or failed to comply with those regulations while inside the port authority’s area of responsibility.

It is important that pleasure vessel masters, including recreational sailors, intending to navigate within the PLA’s area of responsibility study our regulations in advance. While the majority of our regulations may not apply to them, they should identify those which do and ensure they comply. It is essential that all vessels comply with the International Collision Regulations (‘Colregs’) – for example, every year (unfortunately), we deal with a small number of yachtsmen who fail to appreciate that, where Rules 9 and 18 conflict, the requirements of Rule 9 prevail.

The HM team responsible for liaison with recreational mariners can be emailed at recreation@pla.co.uk or by telephoning 01474 562200 during office hours and asking for the harbour master team. Outside of office hours, London VTS can be reached (24/7) on 01474 560311 or via VHF ch. 69 (east of Sea Reach 4) or ch. 68 (west of SR4).”

HASA