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This message to be sent 4 to 12 hours before the expected time of arrival at
Grave send.
(2) SIGNAL - From MUCKING No. 5 BUOY until PRATIQUE is GRANTED.
BY DAY FLY the Flag Signal LIM
BY NIGHT FLASH "Q" repeatedly from the morse lamp.
(3) If a Ship's Surgeon is not carried, have the crew mustered ready for inspection
by the Port Medical Officer as soon as he boards the ship.
(4) NOT proceed beyond Gravesend Pilot Station until visited by the Port Medical
Officer.
III. If the answers to all the questions on page 1 are 'NO', and the ship has not called during
the previous FOUR weeks at any of the Ports mentioned above, the Master need not
communicate with the Port Health Authority unless directed to do so by a Customs
Officer.
NOTE—(a) When a ship calls at a port in the United Kingdom, makes a declaration of health, and
then arrives in London in continuation of the voyage, the Master shall only declare cases
of illness that have arisen since the making of the previous declaration, and have thus
not already been declared.
(b) Article 18(1) of the regulations states:— 'On arrival of a ship from any foreign port or
from an infected area which is not a foreign port, no person other than a Pilot, a Customs
Officer, an Immigration Officer or an authorised officer shall, without the permission of
the Medical Officer, board or leave the ship until it is free from control under these
regulations, and the Master shall take all steps necessary to secure compliance with
this provision.'
J. GREENWOOD WILSON
Medical Officer of Health,
Port of London.
2. Radio Messages — No Change.
3. Notifications otherwise than by Radio (Regulation 14(1) (b)) — No Change.
4. Mooring Stations (Regulations 22 to 30) — No Change.
RIVER COMMUNICATIONS: NAVIGATIONAL INFORMATION SCHEME
The Port of London Authority have had under consideration plans for developing a navigational
information scheme in the Port of London and have discussed the Scheme at some length with the
Port Health Authority. It is possible that Gravesend Reach will be scanned by radar and that the
P.L.A. Harbour Services launches will be equipped with radar. By these means and the disciplined
use of radio communications it is hoped to facilitate the passage of vessels.
It was pointed out that such measures would be of little avail if vessels were to be delayed
by Pilotage, Customs, or Port Health formalities and that co-operation between all four interests
is essential if the maximum benefit is to be derived from the proposed service.
The point was also made that although such co-operation would benefit shipping generally it
would be of particular value in assisting to reduce the congestion of shipping (which was tending
to increase) in Gravesend Reach, particularly in thick weather. The exchange of Pilots, and
Port Health and Customs formalities also tended to delay shipping in Gravesend Reach and thus
accentuate congestion in that area. It was suggested that consideration should be given by all
three interests to boarding vessels further downstream.
It was explained that incoming vessels would be in touch with the Operations Room from the
time they entered the seaward limits of the Port and Masters could, if required, be put in touch
with the Port Health and Customs Authorities by the Operations Room. There were insufficient
channels in the International Maritime Mobile Band to permit the allocation of such channels to
each Authority and, in the interests of radio discipline, it was essential that radio control should
be exercised by the Operations Room.
It was suggested also that all the interests concerned should consider whether they would
like to have accommodation in the proposed new building adjacent to the Operations Room.
Arising out of the discussions with the Port of London Authority, your Medical Officer came to
the following conclusions:—
(1) In general it would be desirable for the Port of London Health Service to co-operate as
far as possible in the new scheme proposed by the Port of London Authority as and when it
develops. The aim of the Port of London Authority is to start the scheme in 1959 but they have
a good many things to go into apart from the problems of radar and radio-telephony, for example,
mooring facilities and the siting for the new building whence the scheme will operate. As and
when the Scheme does develop, the Port and City of London Health Committee would have to
consider the practical possibilities of housing in the new P.L.A. Building the duty staffs
(Boarding Medical Officer and (?) Shipkeeper) while on duty.
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