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Silvertown Tunnel barges into winning spot at ICE London Awards 2025

Date
03 October 2025

The judges dug the project team’s decision to transport materials via the River Thames.

An aerial photograph of the entrance to the Silvertown Tunnel in east London. It's mostly roads with cars travelling on them, but two lead and disappear into the tunnel.
The Silvertown Tunnel took home two awards on the night. Image credit: Ferrovial Construction

During its construction, Silvertown Tunnel transported 1.7 million tonnes of materials using barges on the River Thames, an approach that contributed to its success at the ICE London Awards.

This decision meant less lorries were needed, which not only cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, but boosted road safety in the area.

The tunnel, which opened earlier this year, was designed to alleviate pressure on Blackwall Tunnel.

The judges were impressed by the project’s coverage of different UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Particularly, the increase in bus connectivity (SDG 9, 11) and the opportunities given to unemployed individuals and apprentices (SDG 8).

This, alongside using the UK’s largest diameter tunnel boring machine (TBM) while battling COVID, Brexit and inflation, led to two award wins: the Best Large Infrastructure Project (costing over £5m) and Best Team of the Year.

Green and carbon considerate

The Cox's Walk Footbridge. Image credit: Waterman Infrastructure & Environment Ltd
The Cox's Walk Footbridge. Image credit: Waterman Infrastructure & Environment Ltd

On the other end of the spectrum, Cox’s Walk Footbridge Refurbishment took home the Best Infrastructure project – Small (under £5m) trophy.

The project was applauded for its direct benefit to the local community.

The judges celebrated the team’s use of materials that complemented the local environment while improving the use of the public green space.

The Sutton Estate regeneration. Image credit: Civic Engineers
The Sutton Estate regeneration. Image credit: Civic Engineers

The Sutton Estate regeneration set an example by retrofitting one of the country’s oldest purpose-built social housing developments.

The team transformed that space into modern, sustainable social housing and improved estate-wide drainage.

For this, they won the Best Project – Asset Resilience Award.

The Thames Tideway Tunnel. Image credit: Tideway
The Thames Tideway Tunnel. Image credit: Tideway

The Thames Tideway Tunnel, London’s ‘super sewer’ won the Best Project – Sustainability Award.

The award recognises its efforts in tackling sewage pollution.

Set to drastically improve the water quality in the Thames, this project began in 2016 and up until June 2025 has intercepted more than 7.1m tonnes of sewage!

Celebrating the people behind the magic

The ICE London Awards 2025 people winners. L-R: Eleni Price, Joshua Mason and John Ubaldo. Image credits: Eleni Price, Joshua Mason and John Ubaldo
The ICE London Awards 2025 people winners. L-R: Eleni Price, Joshua Mason and John Ubaldo. Image credits: Eleni Price, Joshua Mason and John Ubaldo

Eleni Price from Croft Structural + Civil was awarded ICE London STEM Ambassador of the Year. She has reached over 1250 students with her brilliant hands-on approach to engineering.

Joshua Mason from BakerHicks, was awarded Rising Star of the Year.

He impressed the judges with his consistent professionalism across technical, managerial, and voluntary roles while supporting inclusion, and drawing from lived experience to create systemic improvements.

For mentoring 300 people and showing significant influence in their career progression, John Ubaldo from Transport for London won Mentor of the Year.

About the ICE London Awards

The ICE London Awards 2025 were held on 2 October at One Great George Street in Westminster.

The awards were sponsored by Veda, (headline sponsor), Cordek (Best Infrastructure Project – Small), Tony Gee (Best Project – Asset Resilience) and MHB Consultants (Rising Star of the Year).

The ICE London Awards are an impactful way to showcase and share your work with your colleagues across the city.

If you wish to be a part of the ICE London Awards next year, be it by submitting entries or by sponsoring, please email [email protected].

  • Eisha Sharma, communications lead for London, South East and East of England at the Institution of Civil Engineers