The first branded Uber Boat by Thames Clippers set sail on the River Thames, marking the start of a partnership between Uber and Thames Clippers.

A fleet of 20 boats on the River Thames, with departures from 23 piers across London from Putney in the west to Woolwich Royal Arsenal in the east, will help commuters travel into the city in space and comfort. Leisure travelers will also be able to use the service, as city visitors look to safely travel across London as it gets moving once again.

Uber is rolling out the service on its app, meaning users can purchase tickets in advance to guarantee a seat and then use QR technology, powered by Masabi, to board. The payment will be processed using the Uber account details.

Ticketing within the Uber app is powered by Masabi, the UK-headquartered company bringing Fare Payments-as-a-Service to more than 80 public transport operators and cities across 11 countries. Masabi has provided mobile ticketing for Thames Clippers since 2014, as well as Uber’s mobile ticketing partner in Ohio, Denver, and Las Vegas.

Over 4.3 million people use the River Thames for commuting and leisure trips each year on the Thames Clippers network. The increased space per passenger and fresh air are part of the reason why over 40% of river commuters are planning to increase their use of the service in the future, according to recent research carried out by Thames Clippers.

Passengers will still be able to purchase tickets via the existing Thames Clippers’ sales channels, including touching in and out with contactless or Oyster to pay as you go and via its own ticketing app.

The boats and piers will be branded with a newly-created Uber Boat by Thames Clippers brand but the service will continue to be fully operated by Thames Clippers. There is no change in Thames Clippers’ ownership; AEG, owners, and operators of The O2, own the majority stake in the company. AEG’s sponsorship division, AEG Global Partnerships, brokered the deal between Uber and Thames Clippers.