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last 14 days, OR any area locally infected with smallpox at any time during the same period, you
must have ready for inspection by the Medical Officer as soon as he boards your ship:—
(a) a valid International Vaccination Certificate against Smallpox for each person on board
(passenger or crew).
or (b) a list, signed by you, of all passengers and crew members, giving the date of last vaccination
against smallpox for each person, as recorded in his certificate. (Provision of
this list does not prejudice the Medical Officer's right to inspect the actual certificates
if he considers it necessary, but will help considerably to cut down delay in clearing
the ship).
7. The Master of a ship approaching the Port of London who has any doubts or difficulties over
Port Health Regulations should obtain advice direct from the Medical Officer, through the Thames
Navigation Service (V.H.F. R/T). It is also possible for ships without V.H.F. R/T to consult the
Medical Officer through North Foreland Radio Station. Information and advice on any other Medical
problems are available by the same channels.
NOTE: Regulation 18 (1) of the Public Health (Ships) Regulations, 1966 states:—
'On the arrival of a ship from any foreign port or from any 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'.
W.G. SWANN,
Guildhall, London, E.C.2. Medical Officer of Health,
Port and City of London.
2. Radio Messages
(a) Arrangements for sending permission by radio for ships to enter the district (Regulation 13)
(b) Arrangements for receiving messages by radio from ships and for acting thereon (Regulation
14(l)(a) and (2).
The Thames Navigation Service of the Port of London Authority has its Operation Room at
at Gravesend and keeps in contact with ships coming up the' River Thames on radio frequencies
allocated in accordance with international agreement.
The Boarding vessels "HUMPHREY MORRIS", "VICTOR ALLCARD" and "ALFRED
ROACH" are fitted with radio telephone equipment on the International frequencies, giving direct
radio telephone communication with shippingand with other river services including H.M. Customs.
In addition, the Port Health Authority has its own radio telephone link between the Quarantine
Station at Denton Hospital and the three launches.
As from 1st September, 1969, the London Port Health Authority was formally designated, by
the Department of Health and Social Security, for the receipt and transmission of radio messages
to and from ships prior to arrival in the District, under Regulation 12 of the Public Health (Ships)
Regulations 1966. This is of particular importance, in view of the movement down river of the
"centre of gravity" of the Port. More and more ships, including nearly all tankers, are berthing
below Gravesend, and it is necessary that the Boarding Medical Officer on watch should be able
to question the Master directly in order to determine whether action should be taken to clear the
ship. Accordingly, a radio link has been set up from the Quarantine Station at Denton, which is
connected by land line to the Operations Room of the Thames Navigation Service. By this means,
the Boarding Medical Officer can talk to the Master before he enters the districtand decide whether
to allow him to go alongside, where further checks can be carried out by Customs Officers and by
Port Health Inspectors, or to go down river and clear the vessel himself.
Masters of ships approaching London from a Foreign Port, whether or not fitted with radio
equipment for contacting the Thames Navigation Service, are still required to send a radio message
to "Portelth London" giving expected time of arrival at Gravesend and particulars of any infectious
disease on board. All such messages are received by the North Foreland Radio Station
and then telephoned direct by the G.P.O. to the Boarding Medical Officer on duty at Denton
Hospital.
At times when the Boarding Medical Officer is fully occupied, e.g. when there is a medical
emergency or several ships to be visited urgently, or to avoid delay to a ship in exceptional
circumstances, it is possible to check with the ship direct and with the co-operation of H.M.
Customs arrange for "free pratique" to be granted immediately and without the ship being boarded
by the Medical Officer.
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