Test water access early
Review the nearest usable waterway, loading points, dimensions, navigation constraints and how the marine route connects to the site.
Discuss a project ↗London canal contractors & waterborne logistics
Use the canal.
Make the city work.
Based in West London, WHH supports marine construction, utilities, bridge works, floating access and waterborne logistics across London's canals and navigable waterways.
Marine support across London
Turn the waterway
into working access.
London's canals can provide working space and a logistics route where road access, compounds and lifting positions are heavily constrained.
WHH has supported construction, utilities, bridge, survey and freight operations on the Grand Union Canal, Regent's Canal, the Lee Navigation and connected London waterways. The useful question is rarely simply whether a barge will fit; it is how the whole operation connects the waterway to the workface and programme.
We work with project teams early to test that option, protect the required interfaces and develop a practical marine method before the site layout becomes fixed.
West London utilities
A moving worksite
for a linear city project.
For Murphy's cable replacement programme, WHH combined cable handling, storage, welfare and marine logistics into a moving floating worksite. The canal became the access route for a long, constrained towpath operation rather than an obstacle beside it.
The same principle applies across London: use the water to create working room, move loads and reach places that are difficult to serve from the road.
View Murphy case study →How we approach London sites
Protect the route
before it is designed out.
Waterborne access is most useful when loading, lifting and temporary working space are considered before the construction logistics plan is fixed.
Protect the interface
Identify the waterside space needed for lifting, landing, short-term holding, welfare or vessel access before the site plan removes it.
Build the marine package
Combine workboats, crane barges, pontoons, hoppers and crews around the construction, utility or logistics requirement.
Operate around the city
Coordinate navigation, public interfaces, restricted access and programme-critical movements as part of the wider construction method.
Typical London applications
Use the water
where the city is tightest.
- Canalside construction and civil engineering↗
- Cable and towpath infrastructure↗
- Bridge inspection and structural works↗
- Barge logistics, spoil and materials↗
- Floating welfare and storage↗
- Survey and specialist access↗
Planning work beside a London waterway?
Test the water option
while there is still room for it.
Send us the site, programme, expected loads and access constraints. We can help assess whether the canal or river can become part of the construction or logistics method.
Discuss a London project ↗