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26.02.2014

Port Of London Authority Appointments: Readying For Thames Tideway Tunnel

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has made two appointments as it continues to prepare for the Thames Tideway Tunnel project.

Terry Lawrence has been appointed as harbour master Thames Tideway Tunnel (TTT), providing a dedicated expert marine resource for this major infrastructure project. Terry has been harbour master for the upper district of the tidal Thames (Crossness to Teddington Lock), since October 2011. Before joining the PLA in 2009 he worked in senior shore management positions at Maersk and Teekay, after a career at sea including nine years as master and pilotage exemption certificate holder to various terminals on the Thames and Medway.


Mark Towens takes over from Terry as harbour master (upper), after serving the last two years as deputy harbour master (upper). Mark joined the PLA as an apprentice in 1999 and became a Freeman of the Company of Watermen & Lightermen in 2004. Mark has subsequently worked as a marine surveyor in the PLA’s vessel licensing department, before moving into the harbour master’s department; initially as deputy harbour master (safety management system), and latterly deputy harbour master (upper) in 2012.


PLA chief harbour master, David Phillips, explained:

“The Thames Tideway Tunnel project will be a key part of the PLA’s work for the next decade. It is a complex project, involving numerous construction sites in the river and with substantial amounts of materials being moved by river. Consequently we need a committed full-time professional mariner for the life of the construction work, someone totally familiar with the upper River Thames and well versed in marine operations. After more than two years as harbour master upper, Terry is ideally placed to fill this role.

“Mark is similarly well placed to step up to be harbour master upper, after his time as district deputy, a period which included the myriad activities around the 2012 Diamond Jubilee River Pageant and London Olympics.”

The appointments were effective from Monday, 24 February.

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Enquiries:

PLA Corporate Affairs, Tel: 01474 562 364

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