A large ship, the Logos Hope, is visiting London for a few weeks, and you can go on board for a look around.
Described as the “world’s largest floating bookfair”, the Logos Hope is a former passenger ferry built in 1973 to service routes in northern Europe, before being refitted by Operation Mobilisation (OM) as a travelling Christian missionary ship in 2005-9.
During the refurbishment, a new deck was inserted into the former vehicle area to create a public Visitor Experience area, and an additional deck was added at the stern to accommodate an onboard school for families serving aboard. The international volunteer crew, drawn from around 60 nationalities, are all non-salaried and serve on board for 3 months to 2 years or more.
The Logos Hope launched into active service in February 2009, sailing around the world, typically remaining at each port for approximately two weeks. And for the next couple of weeks, the ship is in London, and you can go on board for a visit – or a guided tour.
The ship is in the Royal Docks, near the Excel centre, and will be open daily from 10am to 10pm (Sun 1pm to 10pm) until 5th July 2026. There’s a nominal charge of £1 to go on board – and details are here.
You can also book a guided tour for just £5 for adults and £2 for children. Tickets available here.
The boat is about a 10-minute walk from Custom House station (DLR/Elizabeth line) – just head to the waterside and head to the very obvious large white boat.
After London, the Logos Hope will visit:
- Edinburgh – 9th July to 21st July
- Aberdeen – 21st July to 5th August
- Dublin – 8th August to 17th August
- Cork – 18th August to 24th August
- Torshavn, Faroe Islands – 27th August to 2nd Sept
- Klaksvik, Faroe Islands – 2nd Sept 2026 to 7th Sept
- Cardiff – 10th Sept to 29th Sept
- Belfast – 1st Oct to 21st Oct
- Liverpool – 22nd Oct to 10th Nov