PLA Galleries

On Sunday, 22 July 2012, the Olympic Torch took to the river for the second time, passing from the Veolia jetty in Havering to Erith Yacht Club, Bexley. The torch bearer was carried on the fire boat, Fire Dart. PLA harbour launch was in attendance to monitor navigational safety.

The TOW Barge Race 2012 took place in glorious sunshine on Saturday, 21 July. The winning barge was Diana, Trinity Buoy Wharf. PLA’s barge, Blackwall, placed third overall.

Our latest photo gallery features shots of the preparations for and start of the 2012 Doggetts Coat and Badge Race.

The PLA Marine Services crew continued their work with Olympic Games preparations on Wednesday, 18 July 2012, laying moorings for super yachts in the Royal Docks.

A pop-up event, part of the Cultural Olympiad

On Friday, 13 July 2012, the Royal Navy helicopter carrier, HM Ocean, navigated up the Thames to mooring midstream at Greenwich.

Cruise ship Gemini Yesterday arrived on the Thames for the Olympics on 11th July 2012, the inward bound for the Royals.

Braemar, the second large cruise ship bound for the Royals arrived on the Thames on 13th July. Braemar is sister ship to Gemini, which arrived on 11th July 2012, but 30 metres longer. She is believed to be the largest vessel to enter the Royals in 30, some say 50, years. PLA river pilot John Reid piloted the vessel from Gravesend to the Royals; she was piloted by Bernardo Obando from the North East Spit.

After seven years of planning by the PLA and its partners on the river on 11 July 2012 vessels started to arrive on the Thames for London Olympic Games 2012. It marked the start of a stream of vessel arrivals and events on the river in the run up to the Opening Ceremony on 27 July 2012. Our best shots of the Games build up on the river are in our latest photo gallery.

On the morning of Wednesday, 25 July 2012, the Sail Greenwich fleet left Tilbury Landing Stage and headed up river to Blackwall Point (the 02 Arena). There they turned and headed back downriver to their moorings just downstream of Woolwich Arsenal Pier. Throughout they were accompanied by PLA harbour launches.