The UKs first electric tour boat, named the Silver Raven to celebrate her full time role partnering the Tower of London, has entered the water at Pendennis Shipyard in Cornwall.

The Tower of London River Tour tickets also went on sale for mid-September dates via the dedicated website https://lnkd.in/eyw6sYDp

The aluminium Tower of London River Tour vessel design draws from a huge breadth of experience and history to launch the new Woods Tours brand developing a world-leading, all-electric luxury sightseeing fleet.

Silver Raven’s design and power profiling is by VULKAN UK with an EST Floattech Octopus Series battery bank which will be rapid-charged between each tour from a two-megawatt shore charging facility (sustainable energy sources).

The attention to detail will be apparent throughout the vessel’s design from clean, contemporary lines echoing the heyday of Thames River cruising during the 1920s and 30s with wide, awning-shaded decks, single deck panoramic views, bespoke wool woven carpet from Devon’s Axminster looms and Scottish leather seating.

A deal that sees Grimsby Seafood Village come under the control of Associated British Ports (ABP) is said to provide security for the key processing site.

The port operator’s acquisition of the 70,000 sqft, 21-unit site has been welcomed by its creators Pete Dalton and Gary Cadey. ABP has purchased the long leasehold of 125 years, which it had previously granted to the owners of the Humber site, which is home to fish processing businesses.

The village is said to be a key part of the Humber seafood cluster, which employs about 6,000 people directly and supports a wider supply chain of more than 10,000. Around 70% of the UK’s seafood is processed in Grimsby, with ABP saying its acquisition safeguards food security.

Read more

On 10th June 2025 Shetland Islands Council has awarded the contract to build the vessel that will become the new ferry for Fair Isle.

PARKOL MARINE ENGINEERING LTD has been awarded the £5.6 million contract to provide a new vessel for Fair Isle, following a recent open tender exercise. Work is currently ongoing to finalise the vessel design and specification, before fabrication of the new vessel gets underway at Parkol’s boatyard in Whitby, Yorkshire. The expected handover date for the vessel is October 2026.

The requirement is to construct a new larger, faster monohull vessel built to modern standards, to replace the current ferry ‘Good Shepherd IV’ which was built in 1986 in Fife. This new vessel will comply with the MCA workboat code, be able to carry 12 passengers, and will have increased lift-on lift-off (‘Lo-Lo’) capacity for freight operations. The vessel will be roll-on roll-off (‘Ro-Ro’) capable, so that it can use the Council’s existing ferry linkspans, and be built with a strengthened hull for regular linkspan, quay and slipway operations.

In addition to this vessel-build contract, harbour infrastructure works are also now underway at Grutness and in Fair Isle. The anticipated total cost of the project to replace the Fair Isle ferry is £45.4M, with Shetland Islands Council providing £18.6M of funding and the UK Government providing a grant of £26.8M through the Levelling Up Fund.

Read more

London river bus service provider Uber Boat by Thames Clippers has secured a £59m funding package to support ongoing investment into its fleet and drydocking facilities.

The funding, which consists of £29.5 million from NatWest and £29.5 million from Santander, will support the London-based firm’s investment plans over the next few years.

They include plans for new vessels, an upgrade to the pier infrastructure and improvements to drydocking facilities.

The facility will also help the business to expand services and increase the number of clean vessels – water ferries powered by electricity – that they employ on the Thames.

Last year, more than 4 million people travelled with Thames Clippers and bosses are expecting continued growth.

Read More

The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract worth £20.5 million to Northrop Grumman UK Ltd for the in-service support of navigation and radar systems across the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) carriers and other naval platforms.

The contract, announced via a transparency notice, covers the Integrated Navigation and Bridge Systems (INBS) of the QEC aircraft carriers, as well as the VM250 Radar, Astute Ships Inertial Navigation System, and MK39 Gyroscope used across multiple naval platforms.

The awarded contract includes a wide range of support services aimed at maintaining the operational effectiveness of these critical systems. According to the notice:

“The Contract will include in service core support of the INBS Equipment and Legacy equipment.”

“The in-service support includes safety management, spares provision, systems repairs, a range of supplementary support tasks and technical support.”

The contract is classified as a Single Source Qualifying Defence Contract and was awarded to Northrop Grumman UK Ltd, based in New Malden. The contract supports the Royal Navy’s flagship carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, by maintaining the crucial navigation and radar systems that enable effective maritime operations.

Read More

Serco has secured three major contracts valued at over £1 billion from the UK Ministry of Defence to deliver maritime services for the Royal Navy. These contracts, which include modernisation and expansion of existing capabilities, will commence later this year.

The international services provider has supported the Royal Navy for nearly 30 years, delivering a range of critical services from military training exercises to harbour assistance. These new contracts will extend that partnership with enhanced services and new responsibilities.

The largest contract, valued at approximately £850 million over ten years, covers the delivery of in-port services at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth, HMNB Portsmouth, and the Clyde, including HMNB Faslane. As part of the modernisation effort, Serco will procure 24 new vessels to replace older ones currently in service. The contract covers vessel towage, passenger transfer, and barge and tank cleaning services at Portsmouth and Devonport.

Read More

NatPower H has entered a partnership with French company HYNAVAL to develop hydrogen-powered vessels and refueling infrastructure, aiming to decarbonize the maritime sector. The agreement outlines the construction of 20 hydrogen-powered ships by 2030 and the establishment of hydrogen refueling infrastructure in key French ports.

NatPower H has strengthened its presence in France by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HyNaval, a leading French shipbuilding and conversion company specializing in hydrogen-powered vessels. This partnership focuses on developing innovative solutions for decarbonizing the maritime sector by utilizing hydrogen as a clean energy source, with an emphasis on the French market.

As part of the agreement, NatPower H will be responsible for the hydrogen supply infrastructure for HyNaval’s projects, which include the construction of 20 hydrogen-powered vessels by 2030. Additionally, the partnership includes a feasibility study to deploy hydrogen refueling stations in key French ports, collaborating with local industrial partners. The goal is to create a scalable, sustainable zero-emission fuel network. Both companies are aligned in their vision for global expansion, aiming to accelerate the green transition in both maritime and inland waterway transport.

Read More

LS Eco Advanced Cables Ltd. (LSEAC) has launched a five-week public consultation on their proposals to develop a high voltage cable production facility at the Port of Tyne, for under-sea electricity transmission – designed to transport clean energy generated by offshore wind onto UK shores.

While plans are at an early stage and still being finalised, total investment is expected to be approximately £923 million, which would put the North East at the heart of the UK’s clean energy transition.

The consultation runs from 14th May to 18th June and provides an opportunity for local communities, businesses and organisations to give their feedback on the proposed development before the final planning application is made to South Tyneside Council later this year.

The facility would lead to 500 direct jobs and a thousand more across the wider supply chain, including in high-skilled roles in engineering. Along with the The North East Combined Authority and the Port of Tyne, LSEAC will work with the region’s schools, colleges and universities to provide training and re-training in the skills needed at the facility, ensuring generations of North East people benefit from the huge employment opportunities.

Read More

Scotland’s Transport Secretary has confirmed that the government is in negotiations with Peel Ports Group to acquire Ardrossan Harbour.

Finance has been made available in the Scottish budget and Fiona Hyslop updated MSPs in Parliament.

“I have instructed Transport Scotland and CMAL to progress discussions about the potential purchase of Ardrossan Harbour by The Scottish Government,” she said.

The harbour faces an uncertain future because two new ferries that will operate CalMac Ferries Limited’s Arran route are too big to fit. MV Glen Sannox, which enters service this week, is sailing from Troon.

Ardrossan will then be left with no scheduled CalMac sailings until the old Arran vessel, MV Caledonian Isles, returns from repairs in March.

Read more

Leading marine scientists have urged the UK government to ban destructive bottom-trawl fishing in the UK’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and transform current protections from ‘little more than lines on a map’ to more robust means of enabling UK marine environments to recover from their ‘current states of degradation’.

The letter blasts the current protections offered to British waters, insisting that while bottom-trawl fishing persists within them, designated areas of marine protection simply won’t fulfil their potential to support thriving wildlife, sustainable jobs, and resilience to climate change.

“While the UK has designated more than 30% of its domestic waters as MPAs, almost all of these are currently little more than lines on a map, since they remain open to highly destructive bottom-trawling and dredging,” the letter reads.

The open communication has been signed by no fewer than 20 of the UK’s leading names in marine science, including Professor Martin Attrill, professor of marine ecology at the University of Plymouth, Professor Pip Moore, professor of marine science at Newcastle University, and Professor Callum Roberts, professor of marine conservation at the University of Exeter and an Oceanographic columnist.

“These fishing practices are simply not compatible with meaningful marine protection,” states the letter.

Read more