Since 2007, Sea-Change Sailing Trust has utilized Thames Sailing Barges to offer residential programs tailored for young people, vulnerable adults, and seamanship trainees providing a break from day to day lives, helping developing life skills, sailing skills and perhaps sowing the seeds of personal pride and ambition in some of our young crew.
Thames Sailing Barge Blue Mermaid at the finish of the Colne Race 2019 – Den Phillips
Until 2020, hired barges were used by the trust. Whilst fit for purpose in many ways they did not allow for the shipment of significant amounts of cargo, an aspect that we feel can bring an additional element to our voyages for those involved. Our current Lord Mayor, Professor Alderman Michael Mainelli is committed to the benefits of using the river. He supported our appeal to replace hired vessels with a replica of the last sailing barge built for trade in 1930, the Blue Mermaid, lost in 1941 and recorded on the Merchant Navy Memorial on Tower Hill.
Commissioned in 2019, the new barge is a successful sail training vessel, with permanent accommodation fore and aft with demountable fittings in an open cargo hold between. She has ultra-low emissions being engineless and the small amount of carbon produced is offset by Yacht Carbon Offset Ltd. She is also the only Thames Sailing Barge coded to carry significant cargo by the MCA.
The barge can carry up to 120 tons of bagged or palletised material, equating to four articulated lorry loads, around the coasts of Suffolk, Essex and Kent and into London, engaging trainees in low carbon delivery to give added purpose to voyages. You can image the sense of achievement some of these young crews’ experience having worked with the elements of wind and tide to deliver a cargo to its destination. Such voyages, whilst a literal “drop in the ocean” of trade around our operating area, can highlight that given some changes in our mindset, both commercial and personal, sail cargo is a viable solution to reduce the emissions within the supply chain. Routes exist, that given the ability to scale up barge availability, could be commercially viable. Enabling us to take vehicles off our overstretched road infrastructure and having a measurable impact on harmful emissions.
Offloading a Cargo of Beer from Blue Mermaid – Sea-Change Sailing Trust
In August 2024 we are giving environmentally aware companies in or near London the opportunity to be supplied by water at the 1931 freight rate as used by the original Blue Mermaid. This means cement (itself very cost-effective) from Brightlingsea will cost four shillings and ten pence a ton, old coinage preferred, provided other incidental costs are covered, like berthing and cranage.
Many of our beneficiaries are supported by a bursary fund. You may already support groups who might benefit from our services; we could envisage trainees assisted by the Livery, or perhaps members’ own apprentices team building, crewing a delivery this summer for a member or members.
Whilst our offering in 2024 is for positive publicity rather than commercial purposes, we welcome assistance in developing contacts with organizations and buying groups to help take our ideas further.
Peter Green
Sail Cargo Coordinator – Sea-Change Sailing Trust
e-mail – peter.delphinus@gmail.com
Mobile – 07860 521357