Maritime Volunteer Service - Northumbria Unit

Maritime Volunteer Service - Northumbria Unit The Maritime Volunteer Service is a recognised national maritime training organisation and a UK registered charity with more than 25 units around the country.

We provide nautical training serve local communities, especially in times of need. Established in 2012, the Northumbria Unit of the MVS operate predominantly on the Tyne but also support our Port Authorities at Port of Sunderland and Port of Blyth. We are based at St Peters Marina in the Ouseburn area near Newcastle City Centre and carry out patrol duties for the Port of Tyne when requested and al

so support events on our rivers in the region. We have featured heavily as part of the multi-agency afloat water team at both Tall Ships Blyth and Tall Ships Sunderland and are on hand to assist with any planned activities or civil contingency matters on our waterways. We operate a patrol vessel, berthed in St Peters, and a 4.5m Humber RIB which can be deployed on our rivers and ports in the region. We have a strong emphasis on keeping maritime skills alive in our region and as such spend our weekly meetings spending time training and up-skilling our members in all things nautical. Our members range from ex Royal Navy, Merchant Navy, RNXS and those without any prior boating experience. In addition to our river-support and training work, we have established an annual flotilla on the Tyne for Remembrance Sunday. Each year, vessels representing Fire & Rescue, NE Maritime Trust, Police and other rescue agencies join us to lay a wreath in the river between the Millenium and Tyne Bridges. Many spectators come to pay their respects at our unique Maritime dedication each year. We are currently recruiting for more members and welcome applications from any adult over 18, with or without maritime experience.

06/08/2026

Community Support Update

NIFCA (Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities) have been supporting our specialist partners, Ambipar, over the last few weeks with the effort to clear up the plastic pellets from the Tyne and were back out on the water today. We’d like to say a huge thank you to the team.

Following discussions with our local volunteer groups earlier this week, we committed to provide greater opportunity for the community to support the clean up on the river itself.

Therefore, we are pleased to share that we will be working with a fantastic local volunteer group, Maritime Volunteer Service, who will work alongside our teams to co-ordinate this additional effort in a controlled and safe way.

We will be opening the River on Tuesday 11 August from 8am till 10am and would like to invite community organisations who meet the following criteria to volunteer:

- A suitable boat (not a jet ski or kayak for instance) with a minimum of 3 crew
- A qualified Coxswain (RYA level 2 or similar)
- VHF radio equipment capable of communicating with Tyne VTS and safety craft.

If you are able and would like to support, please complete the Eventbrite page here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/river-cleanup-afloat-with-north-east-volunteer-organisations-tickets-1997032134874?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please note this is an expression of interest and not a guarantee, depending on the amount of interest we receive. The MVS team will then communicate directly with you to work alongside our specialist partners Ambipar on the day.

Huge thank you for all the support we’ve received to date and we look forward to welcoming even more of the community onto the Tyne to support in a safe and controlled way next week.

In the meantime, if you spot a concentration of plastic pellets along the Tyne please continue to report them at [email protected] or call 07483 579 324.

Maritime Volunteer Service - Northumbria Unit
Ambipar
Northumberland IFCA
North Tyneside Council
South Tyneside Council
North East Mayoral Strategic Authority

08/07/2026
A fantastic training session on the river today, where three of our new members got to experience their first river patr...
04/07/2026

A fantastic training session on the river today, where three of our new members got to experience their first river patrol from St Peters Marina to the mouth of the Tyne and back, with man-overboard practice and manoeuvres throughout.

10/05/2026

Address

St Peters Marina
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE61HX

Telephone

+44 7864 527213

Website

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