The Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames (The Company) is a working guild formed by several Acts of Parliament in the 14th Century to regulate commercial activities on the tidal Thames. Parliament transferred many of the Company’s regulatory powers to the Port of London Authority (PLA) when the latter was formed in 1908. The Company as agents for the PLA continued to issue Watermen and Lightermen licences for commercial operations until the adoption of the National Boatmaster’s Licence in 2007. The Company comprises some 600 who qualified as working Watermen and Lightermen and some 400 owners of Vessels and other equipment used on or near the Thames. The Company’s modern role is promoting commercial operations and educating and training individuals wanting to work commercially on the Thames.