Port of London Cruise Ship Terminal

Just installed on station in the middle of the Thames at Greenwich is a unique “floating” full-service cruise terminal , which has been built and installed to accommodate the new larger generation of cruise ships that will be able to visit the central London cruise moorings via the Thames.

Moored in the middle of the river, the terminal houses a passenger lounge with offices, baggage handling and security systems. There is also a full suite of toilets with sanitation systems designed, specified, supplied and installed by Lee Sanitation, the Warwickshire based Marine Sanitation Specialists.

The Sanitation System discharges into a huge holding tank, again designed and supplied by Lee Sanitation, which is situated under the floor (deck) within the pontoon. This tank holds over 2 tons (2000 litres) of foul waste and grey water, a submersible pump and sensors with audible and visible warning system, which warn when the tank requires emptying.

As soon as the tank signals warn the operators that it’s nearly full, a sewage barge is called for and the discharge hoses are connected. At the flick of a switch, the inbuilt pump gets to work and discharges the tank’s contents to the barge. Due to the efficiency and power of the system, this whole operation takes under 10 minutes.

The first ship to use the terminal was “The World”, shown here moored at the new facility on July 12th marking the return of full turn-around (embarkation/dis-embarkation) cruises at the Greenwich moorings.

The Port of London Authority, who commissioned the facility, came to Lee Sanitation for the sanitation system because of their long experience in this field throughout the UK and in many overseas countries. Leesan offer a range of pump out solutions from small pump systems for pumping out individual boats and small boatyard use to fully automated, coin/card operated systems servicing boat owners using the world’s inland waterways, rivers and harbours.

The successful new facility represents Leesan’s largest single system so far in a long list of installations from Poplar Dock to Chatham and from the Swiss Lakes to Spanish Marinas. You might even say that the company is “flushed” with success!