Port authority diving expertise available to all

Perhaps less is known about the PLA’s services to third parties, which include hydrographic surveying, salvage, vessel lifting and diving.

The PLA employ eight commercially qualified divers who support many aspects of the work undertaken by PLA Marine Services, particularly hydrographic and salvage operations.

Using their own fully equipped support craft, ‘PLA Diver’, they are in demand for many different tasks, including investigating underwater obstacles and potential archaeological items, and surveying underwater operational structures such as jetties and navigational aids.

In support of the PLA’s own operations, the divers are involved in salvage work, clearing fouled propellers, maintenance of tide gauges, inspection of lock gates, sluices and flood barriers, as well as helping in the removal of old jetty structures. They also carry out damage inspection of vessels, searching for propellers and other items lost overboard, and slinging yachts ready for loading onto ships.

In one major recovery operation the port’s vessels and divers worked with specialists from Wessex Archaeology to lift remains from an Elizabethan shipwreck, dubbed the Gresham Ship, which was discovered by the Authority during a seabed survey. The wreck became the authority’s responsibility when it was raised from the seabed.

The recovery operation involved lifting the bow and hull timbers and various artefacts ranging from cannon to leather shoes. The Port has now handed over its finds to researchers and archaeologists are continuing to study the Gresham wreck as part of a major research project that’s being supported by the Port of London Authority.

As part of the PLA Marine Services team, the divers are available for third party work in any part of the tidal Thames within the jurisdiction of the PLA, when not carrying out their routine duties.