Local schools take an environmental river trip with the PLA and DP World

Following a competition jointly launched by the Port of London Authority (PLA) and DP World, children from three schools in Essex and Kent enjoyed a river trip to see the latest specially designed litter collector that’s located near London Gateway.

The children (from St Andrews Primary School, Rochester, Northfleet School for Girls and Abbots Hall Primary School) were tasked with designing their own marine litter collectors, with recycled materials.

Each year, the PLA’s network of marine litter collectors stops up to 200 tonnes of waterborne litter floating out to the North Sea, where it would otherwise endanger wildlife. The latest (and largest) litter collector extends the reach of the nine-strong network from Teddington to the coast, along the 95 miles of the tidal Thames that the PLA looks after.

Joining the river trip was the PLA’s Vice Chair, Paula Carter, who said:

“In order to protect our Thames for future generations, design innovation and sustainability must go hand in hand, and working in partnership across the port is crucial.

“I was delighted to see the enthusiasm from the children of all ages in the environment of the river first-hand.”

Resulting from a joint investment between DP World and the PLA, the litter collector in the Thames Estuary has been specially designed for the challenges of its location so it helps tackle marine pollution, whilst withstanding the stronger tides and wave energy.

Emma Cowper, Sustainability Manager at DP World, said:

“DP World was delighted to support the recent river trip and competition alongside the Port of London Authority. We were hugely impressed by the ingenuity and hard work of the school teams. We’re proud to support great community initiatives such as these as part of our commitment to establishing a lasting legacy in the areas at which we operate.”

Judging the entries, Jason Rudd, PLA Marine Engineering Superintendent, who led on the litter collector’s unique design and development, said:

“Clearly a lot of care and consideration had gone into the design entries, and it was encouraging to see so much potential for future marine engineers.”

Thanks to the support of Castle Point Motors, the 90 children and school staff on board the river trip enjoyed free packed lunches, whilst learning some facts about the Thames, the trade and the environment.