Live Tides
NOTICES TO MARINERS
Charts & Surveys
Incident reporting
Life-threatening emergencies on the river:
Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard
For near miss, safety observations and incident reporting click below
From Road to River
Each year, over 2.5 million tonnes of goods and more than 40,000 light freight packages are transported via the River Thames.
This vital waterway proves that river freight is not just viable, it's a reliable, sustainable, and future-ready alternative to road-based logistics.
A large-scale shift to river freight (known as modal shift) could unlock a range of economic, environmental, and social benefits, including:
- Greater transport efficiency
- Significant reductions in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
- Less road congestion, noise, and traffic-related incidents
- New employment opportunities across the logistics sector
With rising fuel costs, ongoing HGV driver shortages, policy changes like the ULEZ expansion, and increasing congestion, the river is fast emerging as a compelling alternative to road haulage.
Policy Backing for Floating Freight
The Mayor’s London Plan (2021) recognises the strategic importance of the capital’s waterways and includes commitments to increase river freight capacity acknowledging it as one of the most sustainable transport modes available. Action here could also help to achieve the mayor’s target of reducing the number of lorries and vans on London’s roads as stated in the Mayors Transport Strategy.
‘Tide and True’ Transport
While the case for river freight is clear, there are still barriers preventing broader uptake:
- Perception problems: Many developers and planning authorities still see river freight as less viable or more expensive than road-based logistics.
- Infrastructure challenges: Issues such as complex supply chain connections, perceived risks around double handling, and infrastructure limitations at terminals create friction.
- Data gaps: A lack of standardised data makes it harder to evaluate sustainability and scalability compared to other modes.
Yet despite these hurdles, real-world examples show that river freight can be scalable, sustainable, and highly effective.
Case studies
Light Freight – DHL & Thames Clippers Logistics
Since 2020, DHL has operated a daily river freight service as part of its GoGreen programme. Each morning at 7:30 a.m., small packages are loaded at Wandsworth and transported to Bankside Pier, where cargo bikes complete the final leg of the journey. Operated by Thames Clippers Logistics, the service reduces road congestion, cuts emissions, and improves local air quality, proving the river is an underutilised yet powerful freight corridor.
Bankside Pier, a multi-modal hub for both passenger and freight services, highlights the opportunity. However, more piers will need investment and adaptation to accommodate similar services and support a broader shift to river freight.
GPS Marine Contractors Ltd played a pivotal role in one of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects - the Thames Tideway Tunnel. Since 2016, they have transported over 1 million tonnes of spoil and materials via river, avoiding the use of 125,512 HGV trips. This not only eliminated 3 million miles of road travel but also significantly reduced particulate emissions, congestion, and the risk of traffic accidents.
Led by Cross River Partnership and funded by DEFRA, the London Light Freight Trial tested a next-day delivery model using the river Thames. Goods were shipped from Dartford International Ferry Terminal to central London piers, with last-mile delivery completed by electric vans and cargo bikes across 16 boroughs.
The trial proved highly effective:
- 90%+ reduction in CO₂ and NOx emissions
- Almost 80% cut in particulate matter emissions
- Loading/offloading times as low as 15 and 7 minutes, respectively
- 80 minutes of driving time saved per trip
The Thames Clipper Logistics vessel also ran on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) - a biofuel - reinforcing the sustainability credentials of this river freight trial.
PLA's Commitment: The Way Forward
As outlined in our Trading Thames Vision 2050, the PLA is dedicated to growing river freight on the Thames. We support this ambition by:
- Advocating for river freight in planning processes
- Collaborating with government and industry Supporting and promoting projects such as the River Urban Logistics Environment (with the Thames Estuary Growth Board) and successful trials like the London Light Freight Trial.
We are also driving the sector’s transition to low-emission transport through our Net Zero Coalition and our Net Zero River Plan.
The Thames is not just a historic river, it’s a modern logistics artery waiting to be fully harnessed. With growing public and political support, proven success stories, and an urgent need to decarbonise the transport sector, now is the time to rethink how freight moves through London.
Let’s move goods smarter. Let’s float our freight.
For more resources on river freight check out the below links:
