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You are here >> About the PLA >> Safety

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Safety

Our Port Control Centre uses the largest and most modern vessel control system in the UK to manage over 30,000 commercial vessel movements within the Port each year. We also facilitate 200,000 leisure craft movements a year. 

We have an active presence on the River 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with harbour launches patrolling between Southend and Putney. We maintain more than 70 permanent aids to navigation, including 37 lit buoys and 18 shore lights and beacons, as well as the central London bridge lights. In addition, we also inspect and maintain more than 230 PLA moorings, many available to customers of the Port.

The PLA owns and operates Richmond Lock and Weir.

The PLA Hydrographic Service undertakes regular surveys of all the main channels, providing vital information on depths  and tidal data, as well as locating and marking any sunken obstructions.

Our Marine Services team play an important part in our efforts to maintain navigational safety by keeping the River clear of obstructions and other hazards and maintaning lights, buoys and other navigational aids.

We also work to promote riverside safety amongst the riverside and wider London communities. More than 85,000 children have passed through our Riverside Safety Code trailer and seen for themselves what they need to do to stay safe, and what to do if a problem occurs.

Our river works licensing team play an important role in facilitating navigational safety, assessing any proposed developments for their potential effect on vessels using the river.