It’s a huge weight off to have gained our boat licences with the Shields Ferry
Three new members of the Shields Ferry crew have made the grade as boat skippers.
Stephen Beck, Bill Smith and Chris Bell have all become fully licenced to get behind the controls of the iconic Shields Ferry for its daily River Tyne crossings.
All three have passed the maritime equivalent of a driving test to get the all-important qualification after months of rigorous training and mentoring.
Known as the Boat Master’s Licence, it enables them to drive both the Pride of the Tyne and the Spirit of the Tyne - which are owned and operated by Nexus.
The crew were put through their paces by an examiner from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and were assessed on their knowledge and control of the vessel, maritime regulations, and the relevant safety procedures that are required to carry customers on an inland waterway.
Stephen, 23, from Gateshead, is following in the footsteps of his dad, also Stephen, who has worked on the Shields Ferry for 30 years and helped to train his son.
He said: “The test went well. It’s a huge weight off my shoulders to get through it after six months of training.
“My dad is really thrilled that I’ve got through the test first time.
“The examiner tested me on all aspects of the vessel, from the emergency procedures to berthing and the rules of the river. There were a lot questions.”
Chris, 54, of Sunderland, joined the Shields Ferry crew just over a year ago after having a 36-year career in the Royal Navy.
He added: “I’m really pleased. It went fine on the day. I think we were all a little bit nervous.”
Bill, 56, who is also from Sunderland and was in the Royal Navy for 37 years before joining the Ferry team, has expressed his delight at passing the test.
He commented: “I’m delighted to have passed first time.
“The windy weather made the test more challenging on the day, but it went well. I love working on the Ferry. It’s fantastic.
“We have a great team.”
Kevin Leonard, Customer Services Operations Manager at Nexus, has praised all three crew members for gaining their Boat Master’s Licence.
He stated: “I am pleased to say that all three of our latest recruits have qualified as Shields Ferry captains.
“I know that they have all put a huge amount of work into the training process, so well done to all three of them, and to those team members who helped to mentor and train them up and get them ready for their test day.
“They can be rightly proud of their achievement.
“These tests are vital to ensure that they are qualified to drive the Shields Ferry.
“All of our crew has had to undergo the process before they can take control of the vessel when it’s in customer service.
“It’s a rigorous process.”
For more information about the Shields Ferry, visit: https://www.nexus.org.uk/ferry.