£25 million events “superyacht” with space for up to 1,500 guests is to start hosting dinners, receptions and product launches on the Thames from this autumn.
The Dutch built Oceandiva London will be the capital’s biggest floating venue. The 86 metre long ship will be moored at Royal Docks but guests will be able to embark from berths at London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, Greenwich and ExCel. It is expected to arrive in London in August.
Greg Lawson, chief executive of operators, events company Smart Group said he had already started taking bookings for events. Hire rates start from a basic of £27,000 a night with capacity for up to 1,500 guests standing and 600 seated.
The three deck ship will be powered by lithium battery packs backed up by mounted solar panels to keep C02 emissions to a minimum.
Mr Lawson said: “Oceandiva is leading the way to a net zero future for the events industry. The project is the first of its kind in the world and where better to launch it than the world-beating city of London.
“Today is the culmination of six years of planning. The journey started with an ambition to create a multi-purpose event venue on the Thames – and after listening to stakeholders reflecting and adapting to the challenges of the modern era, sustainability needs to be at the core of everything that we do.”
Tracey Halliwell, director of tourism, conventions and major events, at the Mayor’s promotion agency London & Partners, said: “Meeting planners are always looking for something new, unique, unusual – and even more so, they’re looking for something green. Our hope is that Oceandiva should tick all of those boxes.”
Oceandiva, founded by Durch entrepreneur Edwin Petersen in 2003, already has ships operating in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium but this will be the first in the UK.
