It’s been a steaming hot, sell out summer season this year at Plymouth Boat Trips. We’ve loved welcoming you on board our daily river cruises, fishing trips and packed party nights, enjoying the sunshine and stunning scenery of the Southwest.
To find out more about the season’s activities, view our full newsletter below:-
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay is confirmed to visit Plymouth during its final journey through England this summer, as the full route is revealed.
Birmingham 2022 is hosting the 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay – a journey which brings together and celebrates communities across the Commonwealth during the build up to the Games. In England, the Queen’s Baton Relay will provide the opportunity for communities to experience the excitement for Birmingham 2022, as the 11 days of show stopping sport nears ever closer.
The Queen’s Baton Relay is set to travel the length and breadth of England for a total of 29 days, before culminating at the Opening Ceremony for Birmingham 2022 on 28 July 2022. Kicking off on Thursday 2 June, the Baton will spend four days in London, coinciding with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend. The Baton will then resume the international journey and return to England on Monday 4 July to commence a 25-day tour of the regions.
On Monday 4 July, Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City, will officially welcome the Baton as it arrives from Mount Edgcumbe in Cornwall by boat, crossing the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park. It will leave at 9am and travel on Plymouth Boat Trips’ e-Voyager, the UK’s first seagoing electric ferry, which offers a greener mode of transport across the water and the first zero carbon leg of the route.
The Baton will be accompanied by a flotilla of vessels, including sailing boats and paddle boards. It will travel past Pier Masters House, the historic emigration depot, before arriving on shore at the Barbican Landing Stage and being carried to the Mayflower Steps. It will then travel past the Plymouth Naval Memorial on Plymouth Hoe and down Armada Way before finishing at The Box, Plymouth’s newest cultural attraction and archive.
The National Marine Park, the first in the UK, has been created with the aim of improving access to and engagement with the sea to ensure that everyone in Plymouth can enjoy the significant benefits that being on, in, under or next to the water provides. By increasing community connection with the natural environment, the ‘Park in the Sea’ also hopes to increase engagement with sustainability and ocean protection, and boost the blue economy.
A busy schedule of activities and events are planned for the Queen’s Baton Relay, with opportunities to highlight untold stories from Baton bearers who are striving for change in their community.
The schedule of activity for the Baton’s time in Plymouth includes:
Members of the public are encouraged to get involved with the celebrations and embrace the arrival of the Baton, taking the opportunity to experience the buzz of Birmingham 2022 in their community. The Birmingham 2022 website will be updated with information over the coming months, with detail on the events and where to line the route.
The Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Terri Beer, said: “Plymouth is immensely proud to be hosting the Queen’s Baton Relay in such a momentous year. It gives us an opportunity to showcase everything that Britain’s Ocean City has to offer to the rest of the UK, and to the world. It will put the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park in the spotlight, as well as shining a light on the dedication and hard work carried out by the local people who have been given the honour of becoming Baton bearers.”
Thousands of Baton bearers, each with inspiring backgrounds and stories, will have the honour of carrying the Baton during the journey through England, including those nominated in recognition of their contributions to their local community, whether that be in sport, education, the arts, culture or charity. Between 40 and 130 Baton bearers will carry the Baton each day, and the Relay will reach hundreds of villages, towns and cities during its tour of the country.
One of the confirmed community Baton bearers in Plymouth is Toby Gorniak MBE, Artistic Director of Street Factory CIC. Toby was nominated for the inspirational work he does to empower people, using hip hop to inspire and uplift young people, their families and communities.
Travelling via land, air and sea, more than 180 communities in England will experience the Queen’s Baton on a route spanning 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometres). From energetic cities and historic market towns, to rolling countryside and rugged coastline, the Baton will head as far south as Cornwall and as far north as Northumberland.
Since its inaugural appearance at the Cardiff 1958 Commonwealth Games, the Queen’s Baton Relay has been a tradition for the Commonwealth Games.
The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay began at Buckingham Palace on 7 October 2021, when The Queen placed Her Message to the Commonwealth into the Baton and passed it to four-time Paralympic gold medallist Kadeena Cox, who had the honour of being the first of thousands of Baton bearers to carry the Baton.
Since then, the Baton has visited Commonwealth nations and territories in Europe, Africa, Oceania. It still has further destinations in the Caribbean, the Americas, and more countries in Europe, including the Home Nations consisting of five days in Scotland, four in Northern Ireland and five in Wales, where it will finish on Sunday 3 July, before returning to England in summer for the final countdown to the Commonwealth Games.
The dates of when the Baton visits each region are:
Phil Batty, Director of Ceremonies, Culture & Queen’s Baton Relay, said: “Whilst the Baton has been travelling across the Commonwealth, we have worked closely with Local Authorities in England to devise a route that engages with hundreds of communities, passing sport venues, historic sites, local schools and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Yet the Queen’s Baton Relay is far more than just a journey. It symbolises connecting people from every corner of the Commonwealth, celebrates Baton bearers who take on challenges, and marks the countdown the biggest sporting event in West Midlands history. And by the time the Baton returns to England for the final leg, 71 nations and territories will have already experienced the magic that comes with it.
“We hope that communities across the country join the excitement, attend events near them, line the streets to cheer on our incredible Baton bearers and celebrate the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.”
Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “The Queen’s Baton Relay symbolises hope, solidarity and collaboration across the Commonwealth at a time when it is needed most. It continues to inspire people wherever it goes and creates huge excitement for Birmingham 2022 as it journeys towards the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony on July 28.”
Throughout May, the Queen’s Baton Relay continues its journey through the Caribbean and the Americas, with visits to St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Bermuda and Canada, amongst others.
The Queen’s Baton
The Queen’s Baton for Birmingham 2022 was created in a West Midlands collaboration that fused art, technology and science. Made from copper, aluminium and steel, the Baton also features a platinum strand in homage to The Queen in her Platinum Jubilee year. It is also equipped with cutting-edge technology; 360-degree camera, heart rate monitor, atmospheric sensors and LED lighting.
For more information on the Queen’s Baton Relay, visit www.birmingham2022.com/qbr.
The information provided on the route through England is subject to local authority approval and therefore could be subject to change.
Plymouth Boat Trips has been named as a leading light in the UK’s £40bn maritime sector after being awarded the title of Clean Maritime Operator at the prestigious Maritime UK Awards ceremony in Glasgow. The Plymouth based cruise, ferry and fishing company scooped the award for its e-Voyager project, which launched in 2020 and saw the pioneering electrification of the first sea-going vessel in the UK.
Owner of Plymouth Boat Trips, Dom Squire said: “We’re thrilled to have won this award for our e-Voyager project. It’s an exciting time for the marine sector as we develop sustainable solutions for the future and we’re proud to be working with local partners to place Plymouth and the Southwest as UK leaders in the conversion and new build of zero-carbon, fully electric commercial vessels.”
Designed and developed in partnership with the University of Plymouth, the University of Exeter, Teignbridge Propellers, MarRI-UK and EV Parts, e-Voyager was funded through the £1.4M Clean Maritime Call: a Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) initiative supported by the Department for Transport (DfT) and launched to support the UK’s goal of zero emission shipping.
Sarah Kenny, Chair of Maritime UK said: “We were absolutely blown away by the number and quality of submissions this year. Organisations and individuals across the breadth of the maritime sector are making significant progress toward our shared Maritime 2050 ambitions, and this is certainly an exciting time to be in the maritime sector.”
She went on to say: “Maritime is a sector that is now being recognised as critical to the country’s prosperity, sustainability, resilience and future.”
The e-Voyager vessel is now in operation as a support boat across Plymouth Boat Trips operations, with passengers commenting on the smooth and silent journey created by an electric engine. The vessel takes just under three hours to reach full charge, by plugging into 22 kWh chargers installed by Plymouth City Council on the Barbican Landing Stage. The Council continues to work with local ferry companies to further develop a charging infrastructure for marine transport in the city.
Through further technological developments and maritime applications Plymouth Boat Trips continues its ambitious plan to electrify its entire fleet, with the next project already underway.
Voyager Boatyard has successfully bid for funding from Innovate UK to design and build e-Ferry. The, fully electric, boat will become the flagship vessel on Plymouth Boat Trips’ historic Cremyll Ferry commuter route, between Plymouth and South East Cornwall. Following the company’s recent conversion of a small, diesel work boat to e-Voyager, a 12 passenger electric design – this larger, 150 capacity vessel will operate for up to 14 hours a day on a single charge.
The funding from Innovate UK, comes as part of UK Research and Innovation, which is investing up to £191 million to fund single and collaborative research and development projects, via the Sustainable Innovation Fund, over the next two years. The aim of these competitions is to help all sectors of the UK rebuild after the effects of COVID-19.
The team at Voyager Boatyard have taken full advantage of quieter times, caused by COVID-19, to focus on the development of zero-carbon, fully electric propulsion systems for the domestic passenger vessel and under 24m commercial workboat sector.
Project Leader, Andy Hurley said: “We have used the down time to apply for funding, that will enable us to further develop our zero-carbon agenda. Following the success of e-Voyager, we’re delighted to move to the next phase and, once again, lead the way towards a sustainable marine future with e-Ferry.”
Voyager Marine and Plymouth Boat Trips will be working with Solis Marine Engineering, a team of expert naval architects, to create a clean hydrodynamically efficient hull form that maximises use of the stored energy available.
Simon Hindley, Managing Director of, Falmouth based, Solis Marine Engineering, said: “Projects which advance the zero-carbon agenda and marine renewables sector are central to our work. For this project, we will be working in partnership with Pelagic Design to deliver an optimised low resistance design which helps to advance the use of clean energy in the South West.”
Both Plymouth City Council and Cornwall County Council have established targets, to become carbon neutral by 2030 and plans are underway for charging points to be installed on Plymouth’s Barbican Landing Stage and other sites.
Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet member for Strategic Transport and Infrastructure, said: “This is a fantastic project for the South West and we wholeheartedly endorse it”.
“Economically, to see two South West-based companies combine to produce industry-leading technology does wonders for our marine sector in the city.”
“I’m also delighted from a climate emergency perspective. We want Plymouth to be carbon neutral by 2030 but as a Council, we can’t do it alone. That’s why it’s so great to see a high-profile Plymouth company setting an example to others by pulling up their sleeves and helping us to meet our ambitious target.”
The e-Ferry will be designed and built to effectively operate in a congested maritime environment, with strong tidal conditions, rough seas, and challenging berthing locations. It will also include additional zero-carbon solutions such as photovoltaic panels or similar renewable energy sources.
Andy Hurley continued, “Our aims match the government’s Clean Maritime Plan, to have zero-carbon commercial vessels operating in UK waters by 2025. To help meet this objective, we are transitioning our business from a traditional boatyard, to a specialist hub with the knowledge base and skills to design, build, convert and maintain zero-carbon, electric, commercial vessels across the UK and globally. It’s a very exciting time for the maritime industry and the South West.”
For further information, interviews and images please contact Sally Bowles, Plymouth Boat Trips PR & Marketing Dept.
Plymouth Boat Trips and Voyager Marine, Cornwall have launched e-Voyager, the UK’s first sea-going electric ferry. Designed and developed in partnership with the University of Plymouth, the University of Exeter, Teignbridge Propellers, MarRI-UK and EV Parts, the green ferry will now undergo rigorous running trials, before carrying passengers on Plymouth Boat Trips’ ferry routes from April 2021.
The project has been funded through the £1.4M Clean Maritime Call: a Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) initiative supported by the Department for Transport (DfT) and launched to support the UK’s goal of zero emission shipping.
Project leader for Plymouth Boat Trips and Voyager Marine, Andy Hurley, said: “It’s hugely exciting to see the launch of e-Voyager and the result of such a progressive collaboration to create a cleaner and more sustainable future for the marine industry. Through developing the technology and maritime applications, Voyager Marine is helping to place Plymouth and the South West as UK leaders in the conversion and new build of zero-carbon, fully electric commercial vessels.”
Support from the universities came via Environmental Futures & Big Data Impact Lab, a £6.4M project to support small businesses, and the £4M Marine Business Technology Centre, both part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Dr Richard Pemberton, lecturer in Mechanical and Marine Engineering Design at the University of Plymouth added: “Through our diverse mix of staff and specialisms, the University of Plymouth has supported Plymouth Boat Trips and its partners in both data analysis and regulatory advice. The University firmly believes that the work conducted on e-Voyager will pave the way for larger scale innovation towards meeting the Government’s target of a 50% reduction in emissions from the maritime sector by 2050.”
Engineering technology company, EV Parts, designed the battery storage and motor installation. An advanced electric motor, together with fly-by-wire controls, have replaced the traditional diesel engine, a process which will be directly transferable in under 24m commercial vessels.
The motors, energy storage, control and charging systems are now being tested in a real-world environment, enabling the team to gain approval from regulatory bodies so they can be used in vessels across the sector and carry passengers.
Through duty cycle modelling and advanced simulation of propeller performance, Teignbridge Propellers worked on the project to ensure every kilowatt hour of battery capacity is put to efficient use, ensuring maximum vessel range and safe and effective handling.
Mark Phare, Sales and Marketing Director said: “This pioneering project provides an ideal platform to explore the myriad technical challenges associated with the industry’s accelerating move to full electric propulsion and a low carbon future.”
Repurposed, Nissan Leaf batteries, used in e-Voyager, mean low maintenance and present clear commercial benefits for businesses in the marine sector. The University of Plymouth’s scientists carried out research during the build, measuring emissions including noise pollution, air pollution and fuel consumption.
Brian Lambert, a University of Exeter Research Fellow in the Marine Business Technology Centre project joined the consortium to shape the bid into MarRi-UK. He and Professor Chris Smith worked closely with the team, bringing expertise in project management and innovation to support the development of e-Voyager. The team at Exeter are using their knowledge to investigate safe charging solutions for marine applications, including deposition of nanomaterials and inductive charging technologies.
Plymouth City Council will install three 22 kWh chargers on the Barbican Landing Stage, and using this system, e-Voyager will take under three hours to achieve a full charge. The vessel will be charged overnight when berthing, providing enough power to run for a full day and complete its journey on a single charge. If required, the boat can simply plug in and recharge between runs as passengers embark. The council is working with local ferry companies to further develop a charging infrastructure for marine transport in the city.
e-Voyager will be the first vessel to have been recognised by both the MCA and a Classification Society, for satisfying the exacting standards of both organisations. The partners are now progressing to the conversion of larger passenger vessels in Plymouth Boat Trips’ fleet of cruise boats and ferries, along with the new build of similar vessels.
For further information, footage, stills and interviews please contact:
Sally Bowles, Plymouth Boat Trips, PR & Marketing:
“Thank you to the Cremyll Ferry for all your support of Fourlanesend Community School. We use your service with the children at various points in the year. This helps us deliver our unique curriculum and we always appreciate the help you give us. Thank you for being part of our success!”
Rebecca Norton, Head Teacher Fourlanesend C.P. School
“I thoroughly recommend Plymouth Boat Trips. They welcome everyone and I’m sure that anyone who uses them will have a wonderful time.”
Theresa Burt, Ask4All
“For the past 8 years, we have used Plymouth Boat Trips to host our event watching the British Fireworks Championship in August. Our event has been hugely popular each year, which is no doubt thanks to Plymouth Boat Trips’ excellent hospitality.
We cannot recommend Plymouth Boat Trips enough! Thank you again for your faultless service year after year!”
Hannah Jackson, Hulley & Kirkwood Consulting Engineers Ltd
“I thoroughly recommend Plymouth Boat Trips! As a support group for people with disabilities and their families we have been organising activities for over 16 years. One of our favourite events is with Plymouth Boat Trips, cruising the Tamar whilst enjoying a disco! They welcome everyone and I’m sure that anyone who uses them will have a wonderful time.”
Theresa Burt, Ask4All
“We use Plymouth Boat Trips every year for a celebration at the end of the academic year. We are always very well looked after by the crew. It makes for a great celebration at a very competitive price.”
Diane Henderson, Assistant Vice Principal, Marine Academy Plymouth
Due to urgent works required on the Admirals Hard slipway, The Cremyll Ferry is currently running from Royal William
Read more...
The Mount Edgcumbe slipway has officially reopened following extensive repairs, ensuring safe and reliable access for Cremyll Ferry passengers.
Read more...
Urgent repair works are being carried out to Cremyll Slipway, but we are pleased to now announce that the
Read more...
30 March 2024 – ONE DAY ONLY EVENT As part of the Making Saltash Waterside Better-Connected Initiative, Plymouth Boat
Read more...
