A historic Thames family business is at the forefront of sustainable tourism, launching the UK’s first electric-powered tour boat for the Tower of London, expected to set sail in summer 2025.
Woods’ Silver Fleet has announced the construction of its first zero-emissions boat at Pendennis Shipyard in Cornwall. The Woods family, with over a century’s experience in Thames river cruises and high-profile private charters for clients like Google, Net-A-Porter, and Lamborghini, is bringing its expertise to this groundbreaking venture.
This pioneering vessel is the first in the UK to employ advanced aluminium design and an innovative all-battery drive system. After rigorous testing by Vulkan Marine, Woods’ Silver Fleet opted for an EST Floattech Octopus Series battery bank, recharged between tours by a two-megawatt shore-based facility powered by sustainable energy.
Through the Tower of London River Tour, Woods Tours aims to blend tradition with innovation in a fully electric luxury sightseeing fleet. “This new vessel represents the bridge between the past and the future of river tourism, building on the generations of experience the Woods family have operating on the river whilst striving to lead the industry’s push towards sustainability,” says Chris Kangis, CEO, Woods Tours. “We are delighted to partner with Historic Royal Palaces for the Tower of London River Tour. The Tower of London is one of the most significant London landmarks on the river and the perfect match for the tour.”
Historic Royal Palaces, the charity responsible for the Tower of London, will partner exclusively with the 39-metre flagship vessel, Thames Explorer, making it the official Tower of London River Tour. Constructed by Pendennis Shipyard, the vessel will accommodate 250 passengers per tour, with a projected annual capacity of 500,000.
Pendennis Managing Director Toby Allies remarked, “The start of the Thames Explorer project has been an exciting period for the yard and all the team involved. The aluminium construction specified on the project is all in-house providing a perfect backdrop for some of our more experienced team members to transfer their skills and knowledge to a whole new generation of fabricators.”
He added, “The client’s requirement for the vessel is also for it to be fully battery-powered advancing our own in-house capabilities in this area that in turn will transfer to other market sectors that we operate in.”
The tour, lasting 40 minutes, will begin and end at Tower Bridge Quay, close to the Tower of London, and will pass iconic sights like the Palace of Westminster, Tate Modern, London Eye, Traitor’s Gate, and Tower Bridge.
British actress Martha Howe-Douglas, known for BBC’s Ghosts and Horrible Histories, will narrate the live tour, delivering an engaging, historically rich experience with a touch of British humour.
Andrew Jackson, CBE, Governor of the Tower of London, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Woods Tours on the first official Tower of London river tour. For centuries, some of the most famous Kings and Queens in our nation’s history approached the Tower by boat. Now, even more visitors will be able to experience a unique view of the Tower from the Thames, discovering more about the history of this remarkable place throughout their journey. We look forward to sharing the story with them!”
The vessel’s design will blend elegance and sustainability, drawing inspiration from the 1920s and 30s with features like panoramic decks, awning-covered areas, Kidderminster wool carpets, and eco-friendly seating.
There will also be 21st century full accessibility, solar gain reducing glazing, sound system and LED lighting. All hand built by Pendennis’ experienced team, supporting maritime apprenticeship in Falmouth, with both traditional and new technology. Due to its innovative design, the project is part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 4 (CMDC4), funded by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered by Innovate UK. CMDC4 is part of the Department’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme, a £206m initiative focused on developing the technology necessary to decarbonise the UK domestic maritime sector.
Tickets will go on sale in winter 2024, with the vessel’s first tours scheduled for summer 2025.
