London Eye Capsule Renewal

Assisting with the refurbishment of one of London’s most iconic landmarks is a very specific, high risk job. The initial key challenge was that the barge that transports each pod had to be small enough to fit under the London Eye, but big enough to take the weight of the pod and frame – around 12 tonnes.

To meet this challenge, we procured a bespoke pontoon from National Pontoon. This was meticulously made to measure, as access under the London Eye structure itself is extremely tight.

The pontoon needed to sit correctly beneath the removal point, provide the necessary deck space and stability, and still be manoeuvrable in a very restricted footprint.

Once on site, specialist shallow drafted workboats worked in the pool of water under the Eye to position and spin the barge as required to get it into place. Our vessels Artemis and Echo Lima I were deployed to support the fine positioning work, making micro-adjustments to ensure the pontoon was aligned precisely where required.

This wasn’t traditional “push and pull” work, but rather millimetre-accurate handling, carried out safely and methodically in a challenging environment.

A critical factor to the success of the operation was working with the tide to ensure the pontoon could be placed and moved in/out correctly. Under the London Eye, clearances are so limited that timing is everything when it comes to the tidal range. With such a tight squeeze, there were literally centimetres to spare, meaning the plan had to be robust, rehearsed, and delivered to the minute.

Towage of the pontoon was provided by Thamescraft Marine Contractors, with Livett’s supporting the overall marine plan and the restricted-access operations at the Eye itself. Close coordination between teams ensured the pontoon could be brought into position, loaded as planned, and then moved away safely and efficiently once the capsule was secured.

We’re thrilled to say the first capsule movements were perfectly executed – generating lots of headlines and media coverage in the process.

Key to the success is Livett’s unrivalled experience – not just in marine logistics and high-profile work on the River Thames, but also with this project specifically; we similarly supported the Eye’s previous capsule refurbishment programme back in 2009.

Such hands-on knowledge and experience is invaluable for projects such as this. Our understanding of the site constraints, tidal considerations, and the practical realities of working beneath the Eye gives the project team complete confidence that each phase can be delivered safely over the coming years.

Ed Livett, Managing Director of Livett’s, said: “We are incredibly proud to be asked to support the London Eye once again with their refurbishment programme. It’s a fantastic example of important operations on the River Thames where experience really shows. The teams are working in extremely tight confines beneath an iconic structure, with tidal constraints and a heavy lift to receive – meaning there’s no room for error.

“By sourcing a made-to-measure pontoon and using shallow-draft workboats for precise positioning, we helped the team deliver the first capsule move safely and efficiently. We are looking forward to safely and efficiently continuing our work on the programme over the coming years.”