Gathered on the 42nd floor of the Leadenhall Building , the venue ’ s representatives and members of the events industry overlook the stunning views of the River Thames , where in just a few months the vessel will be used for the first time , hosting up to 1,500 guests standing and 600 seated for exhibitions .

Following six years of planning and a joint investment of over £ 25m , the vessel , developed by Smart Group and Amsterdam-based company Oceandiva , will be the largest floating events space on the river measuring 86m in length and 17m in breadth , spanning three decks .

Described as the UK ’ s first CO2-neutral venue on the Thames , the 2,625sqm vessel will also be used for events such as conferences , receptions , gala dinners , product launches and

brand activations .

Once launched in the autumn , it will pick up guests from London Bridge , Tower Bridge , Canary Wharf , Greenwich and ExCeL London , with scope to use more of the capital ’ s destinations in the future .

“ Oceandiva is leading the way to a net zero future for the events industry ,” says Lawson .

“ The project is the first of its kind in the world and where better to launch it than the world beating city of London .

“ The journey started with an ambition to create a multipurpose 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 .

“ I strongly believe that Oceandiva London will be the catalyst to develop the green future .”

Speaking about the vessel ’ s sustainable credentials and how Smart Group aims to become net zero by 2030 , the

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