Frequently Asked Questions
BETTER BY WATER
For over 35 years, Livett’s have operated to the highest standard. From simple safety boat work to Hollywood productions, Livett’s have the local knowledge, specialist craft and marine expertise to assist with any type of enquiry.
Please refer to our testimonials if you’re in any doubt!
Firstly call or email Livett’s! We can sense check your plan before putting you in touch with the Port of London Authority (PLA), who licence all filming and promotional events on the River Thames.
Once you have a firm plan in mind, you will need to speak to the Corporate Affairs team at the PLA. They require a breakdown of what you wish to achieve, along with the details of all vessels you intend to use. Once they have approved your plan, a licence fee is payable to the PLA directly.
This depends on what you’re loading.
For heavy equipment that requires a crane lift or a forklift we suggest using one of London’s working Docks – either West India Dock, Royal Docks or Tilbury. These are safe working environments where tide is not an issue as the water level is constant throughout.
Alternatively, if you are loading equipment that can be manhandled, then we own Butler’s Wharf Pier (next to Tower Bridge) and Putney Pier. Both piers are in ideal locations with local transport and on-street parking available nearby. The fact we own these piers means we can be flexible to your needs, as opposed to using other central London piers that are largely owned by Transport for London.
In a word: yes. However, this requires careful negotiation with the PLA as they only allow drones at certain times of day and will need to coordinate a river closure around this. You will require at least one month’s lead to start the negotiation process.
Between just below the Thames Barrier and Wandsworth Bridge there is a mandatory speed limit of 12 knots, which then drops to 8 knots above Wandsworth Bridge.
However, there are some “high speed zones” on the river where specially licenced craft are able to travel faster. The first is between just below the Thames Barrier and St Saviour’s Dock, where high speed craft can travel up to 30 knots. The second area is between Lambeth and Wandsworth Bridge where high speed craft can travel up to 25 knots.