Tideway, the company behind London’s super sewer, has formally opened the London Stock Exchange to mark becoming the first UK corporate to issue blue bonds in Sterling.  

Over the summer, Tideway issued £250m of eight-year blue bonds, a subset of the better-known Green Bonds, which are designated to denote specific investor benefits to seas and marine environments. 

The company has a history of Green Bond issuance, previously becoming the largest issuer in Sterling during the early stages of the project  

And now, having become the first to issue Blue Bonds, members of the Tideway team and some of its key partners were invited to take part in the prestigious Market Opening Ceremony on Friday morning (October 17th). 

Tideway’s Treasurer Elina Beale said: “Tideway has long been innovative in our approach to sustainable financing, so it has been a pleasure to open the London Stock Exchange and celebrate this success.  

“With the tunnel now operational and protecting the River Thames from sewage pollution, this is the perfect moment to celebrate the legacy of the project.”  

The Tideway project is designed to intercept the tens of millions of tonnes of sewage pollution that has historically spilled into the Thames each year.   

To date, the Thames Tideway Tunnel, as the super sewer is formally known, has captured almost ten million tonnes of sewage pollution that would otherwise have spilled into the River Thames. 

The proceeds from the £250 million 8-year Blue Bond provide Tideway with additional liquidity for the project system acceptance period, which is due to be complete in 2027.