Commercial RIB Charter
If you need a Commercial RIB to carry out a job in and around Solent and Southampton Water, charter with Bluetooth.
Our RIBs are regularly hired as commercial RIBs to carry TV and film crews. We have helped teams from the BBC, ITV and numerous independent production and media companies safely get the footage needed. We have also been hired commercially to help marine manufacturers pre-test marine equipment and apps before launch.
Whilst many commercial charters take place onboard one RIB we have also worked alongside a second larger power or sailboat.
We have all the relevant certifications and insurance for Commerical RIB Charters and can provide insurance, risk assessments and skipper certifications as required.
Below are some recent Commercial RIB charters and Media RIB Charters Bluetooth have been involved with.
Get in touch to check availability and chat through your requirements.
Arrival of new cruise ship Queen Anne into Southampton Port
On Tuesday 30th April 2024, Cunard’s new cruise ship, Queen Anne, sailed into the Port of Southampton for the first time.
One of our RIBs and skipper were hired to work with the official photographers and videographers to take footage of her arrival.
We were all relieved that the evening was a lot drier than we had experienced on previous press trips.
The team got their shots and we whisked them to their hotel so they could get them onto the wire to be picked up by press worldwide.
Filming of a TV show for ITV Studios
Were booked by ITV Studios for a skippered commercial RIB charter. The RIB was used for the filming of an episode of the first series in Davina McCall’s new relationship show “My Mum, Your Dad“.
The RIB carried members of the production team to take drone and film footage. This was shot underway as the couple taking part in the TV series were having fun onboard the powerboat Snark.
The episode was first aired in September 2023.
Photography of a navigation app
Liam from Watch and Navy got in touch to charter Bluetooth RIB as a bareboat so that he could take on water footage of their navigation apps.
The photos are from testing the Mariner GPS Dashboard 3.8 for Android and Wear OS. All photos can be seen on their website and social media channels.
The arrival into Southampton of cruise ship Arvia
On Sunday, December 19th 2022, P&O’s new cruise ship Arvia arrived into the Port of Southampton. One of our RIBs were hired for a commercial skippered charter to work with the official photographer and videographers to take footage of her arrival.
It was a typical cruise ship launch day with plenty of liquid sunshine to add to the challenge. We managed to get the shots that the media team needed, despite the wet weather.
The largest cruise ship built for UK cruisers arrived in Southampton days after her handover at the shipyard. At 185,000 tonnes, 345m in length and 16 guest decks. She is breaking new ground for guest experiences. Arvia is P&O Cruises’ second ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas, the marine industry’s most advanced fuel technology to date.
Filming of the new Volvo Penta Hybrid Vessel
Volvo Penta booked us as a commercial hire RIB to carry a film crew to take footage of their new advanced crew transfer vessel.
We had a videographer, drone pilot and still photographer onboard and assisted them to get the shots they needed for marketing purposes.
The naming ceremony of cruise ship Iona
Iona is a new cruise ship to enter the P&O fleet. Due to be launched in 2020, but postponed to 2021. Iona is the first British liner fuelled by liquefied natural gas. P&O describe as ‘one of the cleanest fuels in the world’
On the day of her naming ceremony, May 16th 2021, the weather wasn’t as nice as it could have been. Everyone onboard Bluetooth was dressed in waterproofs as they worked. Nic was skippering which enabled the photographer and videographer to get the images they needed of the new cruise liner.
Once the images had been taken, Nic headed back to drop the team off at the marina. Enabling them to quickly edit and get the images onto the wire for newspapers across the world to use.
In the photo above Bluetooth is the little RIB in front of the larger tug and even larger cruise ship! Perfectly captured by Chris from a helicopter.
Click here for some of the press coverage the day after the naming ceremony.
Filming of a TV show by CPL Productions
Bluetooth was booked for a skippered Commercial RIB charter by CPL Productions. Bluetooth was used during the filming of an episode of the hit All 4 TV show “Married at First Sight“.
Bluetooth’s role was to enable members of the production team to take drone and film footage. This was shot underway as the couple taking part in the TV series were having fun onboard classic sailboat Cetewayo.
The episode was first aired in Autumn 2021.
Trial of a new marine product
Nick from Forum Technologies got in touch, as he wanted to use one of our RIBs to test a new marine product before it went to market.
The Hefring Co-Pilot was attached to the RIB. The ‘dynamic speedo’ was tested in various conditions across the Western Solent to the Needles. The product displays a maximum safe speed that changes depending on prevailing sea conditions and vessel motions. This helps the boat to be operated safely and ensures a comfortable trip for passengers.
Filming for ITV News Meridian
ITV News Meridian was following former Commonwealth Games triathlete Dave Savage on his journey back to fitness.
We were rented as a skippered commercial RIB to transport both Dave and the ITV crew to film footage and an interview as he swam along Hamble River.
Watch the broadcast here.
Assisting Solent Swimmers as a support vessel
During the summer we are regularly chartered by Stoked Watersports who organise Solent Swims for charities.
We have rented RIBs on both a bareboat and skippered basis and they are used to keep the swimmers safe, help guide them across the Solent and pick them up to return to the mainland after their swim.