Banning of vessels could have impact on University Boat Race

The Pommery will need to be taken out of service before the end of this year

Putney Boat Hire company Chas Newens Marine is saying that their future is being put at risk by a Port of London Authority (PLA) safety ruling which will take three of their fleet out of action. It is also being claimed that the University Boat Race may be impacted by reducing the number of boats available for sponsors to follow the race.

The PLA are enforcing the MCA Small Craft Regulations which regulates inboard petrol engines on river craft. Three of the Chas Newen’s fleet are boat of this kind - 40 plus feet launches which have inboard petrol engines in their centre. The only other boats like these operating on the Thames are other umpire boats, which are mainly owned and maintained by Henley Royal Regatta, Oxford University, and a couple of private individuals, all of whom are based on the Upper Thames above Teddington Lock (i.e. outside of PLA jurisdiction).

To be compliant with the regulation Chas Newens would need to change the engine on these boats. They say that making these changes to such unusual and antique boats will require the fuel tanks, engine mounts, engine cover box, gear box, exhaust, shaft and propeller all to be changed. However, so far, the only diesel engine which has been identified as possibly suitable to achieve the speeds and acceleration that these craft need, has just been withdrawn from manufacture because that model no longer complies with new January 2017 pollution laws. Chas Newens say that even if an appropriate engine could be found, the cost of changing the boats to diesel would be around £30,000 which makes the change uneconomic. They add that no fire or accident has ever occurred involving any of the Chas Newens Marine launches or similar vessels operating on the Tideway. Chas Newens say that on their umpire launches the small petrol fuel tanks are installed right up in the bow of the boats approximately 4m from the engines making this a very safe installation style in their opinion.

Chas Newens say that the ruling would force them to change the engines from petrol to diesel which would be at cross purposes with the Mayor’s air quality initiative. The PLA dispute this claim saying that the regulations do not specifically require the boat to be powered by diesel and petrol engines or even electric propulsion could be used. The regulations just forbid petrol engines that are inboard.

The inboard motor on the Majestic which is ruled non-compliant

The 1902 umpire launch, Majestic which is owned by Chas Newens has had her licence to operate removed immediately and she has therefore been withdrawn from the hire fleet, because she has failed the new tilting test which the PLA are also applying. The PLA are insisting that the two other boats of similar configuration must be made compliant by the end of the year or removed from service.

The Majestic has already been taken out of service

Chas Newens say that the MCA have told them that their Code of Practice is advisory only, and that the PLA as the licensing authority for the Tidal Thames, have dispensation to make ‘grandfather exceptions’ for specific craft. This is disputed by the PLA who say that they have a statutory legal requirement to licence all passenger boats operating on the tidal Thames to the same standard – specifically the UK Small Passenger Boat Code.

Their spokesperson said, “This is national safety standard for these boats agreed with the industry for all parts of the UK and strongly recommended by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) following a number of incidents elsewhere in the UK.

“The suggestion that special ‘grandfather exceptions’ could be granted to some boats but not others would mean that passengers would be – unknowingly – taking trips on boats which do not meet modern safety standards for either stability or fire safety.”

Chas Newens Marine started business in Putney in 1978 and their fleet of wooden umpire boats regularly assist with rowing events. They are now mainly used for the rowing Regattas on the whole of the Thames and have supplied the Oxbridge Boat Race and the BBC to enable the events to be observed, sponsored, and run safely. They are also used for the annual Parliamentary Race and the Doggett Coat and Badge Race. The PLA control and maintain the tidal part of the River Thames from Teddington to the Estuary. There are no authorities licensing small boats for hire and reward above Teddington, with all craft in such categories being self-certificated by their owners.

It has also been claimed that the ruling could have an impact on the future of the University Boat Race. Vessels of the kind that are to be banned were often used as follow boats in the race for the use of sponsors because of their size. If they are no longer available it could be that it will become more difficult to obtain sponsorship for the event.

The PLA say that these regulations are not new and they first raised concerns about fire safety standards back in 2015. Their spokesperson said, “What the Code does not permit are petrol inboard engines – in other words petrol engines which are contained inside the hull of the boat. Petrol being a very volatile fuel with a low flash point raises obvious hazards of fire but also of explosion – with additional risks of the build-up of flammable vapours inside the hull.

“The suggestion appears to be that there is some kind of ‘trade off’ between good safety and environmental standards. There is not – good safety and environmental standards go hand in hand.”

Chas Newens of Chas Newens Marine said, “I have been involved with the Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race for many years; starting as just a young boy, long before I started my very own business on Putney Embankment and before the umpire launches that I have now.

“The decision by the PLA that come the end of this year my launches will no longer be able to run, is heart breaking. My Team and I over the years, have put many thousands of hours into ensuring the continued safe operation of the launches, attested to by the fact we have not had even a single incident which involved them.

“The cost of refitting these boats to accommodate new engines, the installation of the new engines and the purchase costs of the new engines is extortionate, not including the other costs involved, such as loss of earnings whilst the boats are out of action.

“This could signal the end of an era, with all of our activities on the water coming to a close if an agreement cannot be reached.”

We have asked the Boat Race organisers about the possible impact of the ruling on boats following the event but have yet to receive a reply.

March 29, 2017