Important information for recreational and commercial vessels operating
in the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012

Plan Ahead for a Successful
Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012

If travelling by boat  the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport, want to ensure that all public and commercial boat users wishing to visit or operate over the period of the Olympic Games do so safely and responsibly. It is essential to be prepared and plan ahead.

Recreational Boats

Mooring and boating facilities are very limited in ports, marinas and inland waterways on or near the River Thames and Weymouth Harbour. If you arrive without a pre-booked mooring you will not have access to suitable berthing and mooring facilities.

London

London is going to be the centre of much of the world’s attention for the Olympic weeks in the summer of 2012. But if you’re planning to navigate on the Thames during that period you need to plan well ahead.

Click here to find out more: http://www.pla.co.uk/

View a short film on how to plan for navigating on the Thames during the Olympics.

Weymouth and Portland

Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour will be the venue for the Olympic and Paralympic sailing competitions. If you intend visiting by boat you will need to have booked in advance.

Click here to find out more: http://www.harbour.weymouth.gov.uk/London2012/

Commercial Vessels

All vessels should be correctly certified for the area in which they are operating, and appropriately manned.

Vessels being used to attend the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Regattas that are not private "pleasure vessels" will be required to carry an appropriate certificate for the activity being undertaken, to demonstrate that they have been surveyed and found to comply with the relevant requirements. Pleasure vessels are also required to carry appropriate valid certification when they are carrying more than 12 passengers.

Owners/operators of vessels being used to attend the sailing regattas may arrange to have their vessel inspected prior to attending, to avoid inconvenience during the events. Failure to comply with these requirements may mean that the vessel is prohibited from being used.

For detailed information for owners, operators and Masters of all spectator craft and other vessels, in the form of Marine Information Note 419 (M) Spectator Craft Attending the London Olympic Games 2012 and London Paralympic Games 2012 click on the link: http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/419.pdf

For further information please contact:

Southampton Marine Office (for the Weymouth and Portland area): 023 8032 9329; or

Orpington Marine Office (for the River Thames area): 01689 890 400.

General enquiries: infoline@mcga.gov.uk .