As winds strengthen to force 8 the Hammonia Husum boards a pilot at the Sunk station which is on the edge of British waters to head inbound for her first call to the Port of Felixstowe.
As the vessel heads inwards via the deep water channel, the pilot requests 2 tugs for berthing to go portside to Felixstowe Berth 4.
Also in the deep channel the 400 metre CSCL Arctic Ocean which had sailed from Berth 8 was heading towards the Sunk. Both ships pass each other. Svitzer Shotley was waiting outside the harbour to be the first tug to make fast centre lead aft.
Before the tugs were made fast, the pilot gave the bollard rating (safe working load) fore and aft which was 50 tonnes.
Shotley makes their approach as the Svitzer Deben heads towards the Beach End to meet the Hammonia Husum on a North south heading inside the harbour.
Deben made fast centre lead forward stretches their line ready to work. Passing Berths 8&9 the ship and tugs start swinging to port then the Deben moves out onto the port shoulder and builds up power to swing the bow while Shotley moves onto the starboard quarter and increases power to swing the stern.
Swung around, the Deben eases up and moves onto the starboard side with a slack line. Shotley comes in for a push then backs away into check position.
The Hammonia Husum did not stay in Felixstowe for long as she set sail again at 00:30 Saturday morning.
As the CSCL Arctic Ocean finshes cargo operations, winds had built up to 28-32 knot gusts. The Harwich Haven Pilot which boarded the 400 metre ship wanted to clarify the wind speed and direction with Harwich VTS before preparing to depart. After a discusion with the captain a third tug was requested for departure as the wind was still picking up and with 3 tugs gave her a better chance of coming off the berth..
The CSCL Arctic Ocean departs Felixstowe with a maximum draught of 13.4 metres for her next port of Rotterdam.
Shortly before departure crane rolled off onto the Maribo Maersk which was berth behind her but there was still a small issue with the strength of the wind which had stopped a crane booming up until the wind had eased off a tad. Winds easing the pilot gets the tugs to come to station.
Svitzer Deben lead the tugs out from the pontoon followed closely by the Svitzer Shotley and Svitzer Kent a few minutes later. The plan was the 3212's Deben and Kent were to make fast on the centre leads fore and aft and the smaller 2411 Shotley to make fast on the port quarter. It would be a straight pull off the berth and swing to port the come ahead on the main engine with Deben and Shotley assisting around the Beach End out of the harbour. The offshore lines fore and aft were slackened and bought back onboard before the Deben and Kent were made fast. Once the Deben was fast, the Shotley was made fast.
All three tugs fast, they get in position to pull the CSCL Arctic Ocean away from the berth. The springs released, the pilot gets all three tugs to build up to a 50% pull with the Kent forward increasing to full power. Easing off ther berth the pilot varies the aft tugs power until they were clear and coming ahead on the main engine. Shotley eases up and comes into a push position on the port quarter while the Deben moves around onto the starboard quarter and begins to take the stern around.
Swinging nicely, the Shotley comes away from the ships side so they could be released. Kent eases up and goes straight ahead of the ship with a slack line ready to let go. Kent peels off to the Felixstowe side while the Shotley repositions on the most aft tug marker on the port quarter. Deben follows astern on the favouring the starboard side to keep out of the wash of the CSCL.
Approaching the Fort Buoy, the pilot gets the Deben to go out onto the starboard quarter at full power for a powered indirect to help the stern swing around the 90 degree Beach End out of the harbour.
Shotley comes away from the ships side and waits outside the harbour for inbound Hammonia Husum while the Deben drops back in astern to retreive their towing line before heading back inside the harbour to be the second tug for the inbounder.
With a team effort from the Harwich Haven Pilot, the three Svitzer tugs and Harwich Haven Authority, the 400 metre CSCL Arctic Ocean swings off the berth in challenging conditions and heads for her next port.
The OOCL Germany is the second to be built out of six and currently the world's largest container ship class arrives to a foggy Felixstowe.
The visibility wasn't the best, only 3-4 cables at the most with it decreasing to 1-2 in places. Harwich Haven Authority has procedures in place for foggy weather conditions. When visibility is poor a vessel separation scheme is inforce which means one way traffic both inbound and outbound vessel of the harbour.
With a draught of 14.3 metres from Singapore the OOCL Germany required one of the deep water berths at Felixstowe, currently Berths 8&9 have cranes tall enough to service the world's largest container ships. Felixstowe are heightening 10 cranes on berths 6&7 so they can service 4 of the largest ships at the same time.
A Harwich Haven pilot boards the OOCL Germany at the Sunk Pilot Station which is on the edge of British waters and begins to proceed inwards via the deep water channel.
The pilot requests two Svitzer tugs for berthing, as the pilot was onboard a mega ship with a deep draught he preferred to have an escort tug to meet outside the harbour at 7&8 Buoys to made fast on the centre lead aft to help steering around the 90 degree turn into the harbour, the second tug to meet at the Beach End on a bow to bow. As the pilot was unsure of visibility in the harbour he said if visibility was poor they would go starboard side to Berth 8 but if it was better they would swing and to go portside to Berth 8.
Visibility improving in the harbour. Svitzer Deben heads out very close to the edge of the channel on the green buoy side shortly followed by the Svitzer Sky also on the green side of the channel.
Deben all fast aft favours the portside ready to assist the OOCL Germany into the harbour. The pilot gets the Deben to go out on the port quarter for a powered indirect.
Once inside the harbour the pilot says he was happy with the visibility so they will be doing a starboard swing to portside to the berth.
Svitzer Sky makes fast centre lead forward. Passing the berth 9 the pilot gets the Deben to move onto the port quarter ready to swing the stern while the Sky moves onto the starboard shoulder. Both tugs begins to increase power and the Germany swings to starboard.
Almost swung the pilot gets the Sky to close up and let go so they could push up somewhere midships or near the funnel.
Final tie up 6 and 2 with springs first fore and aft.
After the collapse of Hanjin, ships that had been on charter from various companies were returned to the rightful owners and the rest that were owned by Hanjin were sold to recuperate some capital for the creditors who were desperate for some money that was owed.
The Express Athens formerly the Hanjin Greece sailed at first light as thick fog rolls into the harbour. Very steadily with two Svitzer tugs the 349 metre ships edges away from the berth before coming ahead on the main engine and releasing the forward tug, keeping the aft tug just incase they were required to give a little help steering the Express Athens around the 90 degree Beach End turn out of the harbour.
The President Cleveland previously named HS Paris arrives to the Port of Felixstowe with the assistance of two Svitzer tugs. A Harwich Haven pilot boards the ship at the Sunk Pilot Station just on the edge of British waters.
The Svitzer Sky heads out of the harbour to be the aft tug and makes fast on the centre lead aft. As the President Cleveland approaches, the Svitzer Deben heads towards the Beach End turn at the enterance of the harbour to be the forward tug.
President Cleveland inside the harbour onto a Northerly heading, the Deben makes their approach and retrieves a heaving line on a bow to bow.
The 19100TEU CSCL Pacific Ocean (one of the lagest container ships in the world) prepares to depart Felixstowe on a bitterly cold and breezy afternoon.
The Harwich Haven is dredged every ten weeks or so to keep the country moving. Boskalis sends their trailer suction hopper dredger Barent Zanen accompanied by the plow dredger Norma and survey vessel Shamrock. Earlier in the day, the Barent Zanen had sucked up a full load and headed out to the dumping ground out at the Inner Gabbard before proceeding inwards for another sweep of the harbour floor. As she was heading inbound the captian asks for an update on the traffic. Harwich VTS advised the Barent Zanen that the 400 metre CSCL Pacific Ocean would be leaving her berth and as she was head in she needs to swing to depart then needed a clear run to 5&6. Plan A was for the Barent Zanen to go in the North Channel as the Pacific Ocean heads out of the harbour but a bit of time passed as the last lashing was being finished off which meant the dredger would passing 7&8 buoys so the plan changed. The pilot onboard the CSCL Pacific Ocean agrees with a plan to hold alongside the berth until the Barent Zanen was around the Beach End and inside the harbour before breaking away from the berth.
The three Svitzer tugs which was ordered for departure leave the tug pontoon.The tugs make their way to stations, Svitzer Sky was the first to make fast on the port quarter, Svitzer Kent was the next to make fast on the centre lead forward and lastly the Svitzer Deben had to wait for a few offshore lines to be bought back onboard before making fast on the centre lead aft.
Barent Zanen inside the harbour, the pilot onboard the CSCL Pacific Ocean begins to single up and starts with the Kent forward pulling away from the berth followed by the Sky and Deben aft. Slowly increasing the tugs power to half power with the Kent forward increasing to full power. Edging into the channel the pilot trickles ahead on the main engine before geting the Sky to come in for a push while the Deben moves onto the starboard quarter ready to pull the stern around for a port swing.
Safely swung around the Kent eases up and comes in ahead to let go while the Sky comes away from the ships side to let go. The pilot requested the Sky to accompany them around the 90 degree Beach End. The CSCL Pacific Ocean building up their speed as they approaching the Fort Buoy, the pilot gets the Deben to move out on to the starboard side for a powered indirect. As the Deben increases the weight on the towing line they begin to produce a 15 degree list. The CSCL turning nicely around the corner, the Sky comes away from the ships side while the Deben eases up and comes in to retreive their tow line.
The 17-13 Harwich Lifeboat, Albert Brown, launches on a may-day to a casualty aground at the Hamford Waters.
Initally the 17-13 ALB was launched to assist but after receiving more infomation a decicision was made to man go the smaller and shallower Atlantic class, B789, Sure and Steadfast, as the ALB would not be able to get close enough to the casualty due to shallow waters. The Albert Brown hurried back to the station and boarded the ILB.
ILB skimming the water as they head out at full speed brings the boat to a stop so they could radio Dover Coastguard and the casualty to say they were close and help wasn't too far away. Casualty towed to safety, the ALB heads out to rendezvous with the ILB to take over the tow to Shotley Marina.
MSC Heidi was tide restricted as she sailed with a maximum draught of 14.6 metres for her next port of Le Havre. Two 3212 Svitzer tugs assist with a straight pull of the berth.
Svitzer Deben and Svitzer Kent leave the tug pontoon to head up to the MSC Heidi. Svitzer Deben heads up the stern to take the centre lead aft but before they were able to make fast a stern line had to be slackened and released before the Deben could come in to the transom. Svitzer Kent goes under the bow to retreive the heaving line to make fast centre lead forward.
Both tugs fast they get in position ready to work. Lines let go fore and aft, the pilot steadily begins to increase the tugs to full power before coming ahead on the main engine to head down the harbour.
Svitzer Kent eases up to let go and peels off to the Felixstowe side then the Deben comes in to let go. Both tugs head back to the pontoon and leave the MSC Heidi to head out to the Sunk where the pilot disembarks onto a Harwich Haven pilot launch.
