On Friday, 5th December 2025, Orbit Clipper carried passengers across the River Thames for the first time in a landmark moment for London’s sustainable transport goals.
A ceremony was held to mark the occasion at Rotherhithe Pier, with the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, officially opening the service. He was joined by the press, partners and stakeholders who gathered to commemorate Orbit Clipper’s first passenger outing.
Orbit Clipper is a double-ended, self-docking and auto-mooring electric ferry owned and operated by Uber Boat by Thames Clippers. It replaces a diesel ferry to provide a fast, efficient and green service between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf for thousands of passengers per day.
As Principal Designer under CDM, Beckett Rankine designed and project-managed the installation of Rotherhithe Pier and the pier extension at Canary Wharf.
Tim Beckett (front far left), Sir Sadiq Khan (centre) and Sean Collins (centre left) with project partners and stakeholders on the Orbit Clipper.
Rotherhithe Pier is the first pier on the Thames designed to provide cycle-on, cycle-off ability for cyclists, as well as easy access for people with restricted mobility. It features gentle gradients on its 60m brow and 12m fixed bridge, while wide gangways and the innovative semi-automated mooring system provide a seamless experience during embarking and disembarking.
The success of this design was perfectly demonstrated during the ceremony, when a fleet of cyclists from British Triathlon, as well as foot passengers, were welcomed onto Orbit Clipper’s inaugural crossing of the river. The ability to carry cycles supports wider plans to deploy e-cargo bikes via the waterway, which, coupled with the new e-ferries, will create the most sustainable option for cross-river cargo transport in East London.
Tim Beckett, Director of Beckett Rankine, said:
“With Orbit Clipper now launched, the Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf electric ferry crossing is a game-changer for sustainable transport in London. We are incredibly proud to have collaborated with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers and Wight Shipyard on delivering the scheme and would particularly like to thank Innovate UK for their funding contribution, which made the project possible. Credit is also due to our contractors for the infrastructure, Red7 Marine, Delphini and Aqua SuperPower.
The Rotherhithe electric ferry project embodies Beckett Rankine’s core mission – to provide high-quality, impactful engineering solutions that are sustainable, cost-effective, and future-proofed. Crucially, this project has provided valuable lessons that will guide future low-cost, active travel river crossing schemes toward success.”
Sean Collins, CEO and Co-founder of Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, said:
“Orbit Clipper represents a major step forward in our journey to a fully zero-emission fleet, and the expertise of Beckett Rankine has been vital in bringing this pioneering vessel into service. Their maritime engineering support has ensured we will be able to operate the UK’s first fully electric cross-river ferry safely, efficiently and at the high frequency our passengers expect.
This collaboration sets a new benchmark for sustainable urban transport on the Thames and moves us closer to our goals of cutting carbon emissions by 50% by 2035 and achieving net-zero by 2050.”
The innovative zero-emission crossing concept – pairing a new all-electric ferry with an inclusive pier design – was first proposed by Beckett Rankine and Thames Clippers in 2019 as an alternative to a more expensive and less sustainable bridge proposal. The concept was met with a positive response and earned the prestigious NCE100 Impact in Transport Award 2019.
It then received part-funding from the Department for Transport as part of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 3 (CMDC3), which was announced in September 2022 and is delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.
Rotherhithe Pier was designed in collaboration with Anthony Carlile Architects, while Eadon Consulting and Aqua superPower provided design support for the semi-autonomous mooring and shoreside power infrastructure. Construction of the pier was completed in July 2025 by Red7 Marine and Delphini Ltd.
Read the full press release from Uber Boat by Thames Clipper here.
All images by Distracted Media.
