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(i) on sighting the doctor's launch, reduce speed sufficiently for it to come alongside, and
(ii) between sunsetand sunrise show a white light over the port bow from No. 1 Mucking Buoy.
Hand this Declaration to the doctor together with lists of names and destination addresses
for all passengers and crew. You must not proceed up-river beyond Gravesend Pilot Station
until your ship has been cleared by the doctor.
(b)lf your ship is berthing down river of No. 1 Mucking Buoy health clearance may be given by
radio telephone. If you desire this facility, speak to the Medical Officer through the Thames
Navigation Service.
7. If your ship has been in any port in all Asia, Africa, (including transit through the Suez Canal)
or the Americas (excluding the U.S.A., Canada and transit through the Panama Canal) during the
last 14 days, OB any area infected with smallpox at any time during the same period, you must
have ready for inspection by the Authorised 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 Authorised 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).
NOTE: Regulation 18(1) of the Public Health (Ships) Regulations, 1970 states:-
"On the arrival of a ship from any foreign port or from any infected area, or of a ship
which has proceeded from an excepted port and which has met a ship which has proceeded
from a foreign port other than an excepted 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 free pratique has been granted, and the
Master shall take all steps necessary to secure compliance with this provision."
W.G. SWANN,
Medical Officer of Health,
Guildhall, London, EC2P 2EJ. Port and City of London."
It is hoped to introduce, during 1972, a simplified "Guide" to Health Clearance in the Port of
London in English, Spanish and German, which, whilst not covering all eventualities nor being a
legal document will, it is hoped, be of assistance to Masters.
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(1)(a) and (2).
The Thames Navigation Service of the Port of London Authority has its Operation Room 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
radiotelephone communication with shipping and 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.
The London Port Health Authority is 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 1970. 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 district and 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.
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