The OOCL Indonesia, the last ship to be built in G class, sailed in to Felixstowe under the cover of darkness.
At 399.85 metres long and 58.8 metres wide she can hold a record breaking 21413teu.
Only being delivered to OOCL early January 2018 she made her way to Shanghai as her first port of call before heading to Ningbo, Xiamen, Yantian and then to Singapore. She left Singapore with a maximum draught of 15.2 metres bound for Felixstowe and making her debut in Europe.
Around 02:15am, a Harwich Haven pilot boards the OOCL Indonesia at the Sunk Pilot Station and heads inbound for Felixstowe Berth 9 planned portside to. Officially tying up at 05:14am.
As daylight broke cargo began to come off the ship into the stacks ready to be distributed around the U.K. Hovering above the 8 high container stack on top deck, docker inside the twist-lock monkey cage were removing the lashings that were securing the containers for the voyage over.
A very chilly afternoon, OOCL Hong Kong boomed up and ready to depart for Singapore. The Harwich Haven pilot which was onboard the MSC Sarah had swung and berthed her alongside Trinity 4, transfered onto the OOCL Hong Kong. Once onboard the pilot gets the tugs to the configuration that he required.
Svitzer Kent makes fast centre lead aft and the Svitzer Sky makes fast centre lead forward. Once fast they both push up as the wind was coming from the east. Kent increases power on the aft as the mooring gang had a little trouble releasing the lines.
Lines released, the tugs back away ready to work. Kent was the first to increase power to pull the aft. Sky increases power to lift the bow away. Kent soon increases to full power with Sky on a 25 pull.
Steadily edging into the stern first the pilot gives a kick astern. Sky builds up power to swing the bow out. Once in channel Sky slackens up and let's go from forward.
As the Hong Kong approaches the Fort Buoy, the pilot gets the Kent to move out onto the starboard side for a powered indirect. The Kent produces a 15 degree angle as she increase power and tension on their tow line.
Safely around the Beach End turn, Kent eases up and retreives the towing gear then heads back into the harbour to the tug pontoon.
The Oliver Cromwell bids farewell to tbe tracks but not in the way intended. The last Britannia class loco departed London Liverpool Street at 10:20am and was due to arrive at Norwich at 13:25.
Running a few minutes late the Oliver Cromwell puffed her way through Stowmarket. A few miles up the track this wonderful locomotive ground to a holt. Luckily on the aft of the train a diesel loco was able to be the hero of hour but the Oliver Cromwell broke down again. The diesel loco picked up the strain and pushed the train into Norwich traveling at just 20mph.
With weather conditions not the greatest, the current world's largest container ship OOCL Hong Kong's pilot boarding time was put back so the fog could lift before she entered the harbour.
Finally the pilot boarded at the Sunk station. Heading inbound the pilot requests 3 tugs for berthing. The first tug to meet at 7&8 make fast centre lead aft. Second tug to meet outside the harbour and push on the starboard quarter and the third tug to meet at the Beach End to make fast on the starboard shoulder.
Svitzer Deben was the first tug to head out and make fast on the centre lead aft. Shortly followed by the Svitzer Shotley. Approaching the 90 degree Beach End turn into the harbour the pilot gets the Deben to move out onto the port side for a powered indirect to help the ship steer around the corner. In the process Svitzer Sky speeds towards the corner where they make fast on the starboard shoulder.
Safely inside the harbour Deben eases up and moves right astern until required for the swing. Passing the MSC Sveva alongside Berth 9 the pilot begins the starboard swing off the berth. Sky begins to pull the bow while Shotley pushes on the quarter and Deben moves out onto port side to take the stern around. As the Hong Kong swings the pilot kicks the engine ahead to keep the ship moving.
The wind picking up the Deben and Sky move onto the starboard side into a check position while the Sky pushes up until they were alongside.
The Second Generation Triple E, Marseille Maersk departs a foggy Felixstowe on her maiden voyage to Europe with a maximum draught of 11.7 metres bound for Antwerp. As daylight broke the weather conditions were not the best as the visability reduced considerably and fine rain began to fall.
A Harwich Haven pilot boards the Marseille Maersk from the shore side to assist the captian in taking his new build out from Felixstowe to the Sunk, where the pilot disembarks and the captian takes over to her next scheduled port of Antwerp. Cargo complete the pilot radios for the services. Two Svitzer tugs, Svitzer Kent and Svitzer Deben leave the tug pontoon to Felixstowe Berth 8. Deben takes the centre lead aft while the Kent takes the centre lead forward.
Just before the Marseille broke away from her berth, the DFDS ferry Suecia Seaways departed Ro-Ro 4 as the 400 metre Marseille Maersk takes a little while to get going.
Both tugs ready to work, they wait for the last spring to be released. Steadily the ship begins to move away from the berth then the pilot gets the tugs to increase power to pull the ship clear and into the channel. Once in the channel, the forward tug, Kent, moves to straight ahead to help the pilot increase speed ahead before getting them to slacken up to let go. Kent breaks away onto the Felixstowe side back to the pontoon
Speed building, the pilot checks with the Deben if they were happy to go out of a powered indirect in the weather conditions. Deben gave the ok. Approaching the Fort Buoy, the pilot asks the Deben to move out onto the starboard side at full line load to help steer around the 90 degree Beach End turn out of the harbour. Once on an Easterly heading the Deben eases up astern and closes up to the transom to retreive their towing gear and leave the pilot to naviagate to the Sunk. The pilot gives updates to VTS about the viisability as it reduced further to only 3-4 cables as the Marseille headed for the Sunk.
The 19,437teu MSC Ditte swings to port with the assistance of two Svitzer tugs on a sunny February afternoon.
A Harwich Haven pilot boards the MSC Ditte at the Sunk Pilot Station which is on the edge of international waters 12 miles out in the North Sea.
Once onboard he requests two Svitzer tugs for berthing, the first at 7&8 Buoys make fast centre lead aft and normal procedure, the second tug to meet outside the harbour and make fast on the starboard quarter. The pilot also says he will be doing a port swing off the berth to go portside to Felixstowe Berth 9.
As the MSC Ditte approaches the HA Buoy, Svitzer Deben leaves the tug pontoon and paddles out towards 7&8 to be the aft tug. Closer to the harbour enterance, Svitzer Sky which had be manoeuvring in the Berth 9 area swings around to head out the harbour to escort the Ditte around the 90 degree Beach End turn.
The pilot gets the Deben to assist steering around the corner by going out on the port side for a powered indirect. With a speed of about 7 knots over the ground, the pilot increases the revs to keep her moving as she rounds the Beach End.
Safely in the harbour and tracking North, the pilot gets the Deben to ease up and drop in astern. Sky makes fast on the starboard quarter ready to work. Further up the harbour, the pilot goes astern on the main engine to drop off the knots ready to swing. Sky begins to take the weight on their line as they move out to start swinging the stern. A short while later the Deben moves out onto the starboard side and begins to pull the stern around. Half swung, the pilot uses the bow thrusters to help her swing around.
The pilot goes astern on the engines to reverse towards the berth. Sky is released from the quarter so they could push up alongside. The pilot kicks ahead to stop the ship going astern too much. As the MSC Ditte comes alongside, the crew throw the spring heaving lines down for the mooring to make fast on the bollards
Final tie up 6 and 2 with springs first then the offshore lines. Aft lines were crossing with the CSCL's bow lines.
Tide restricted Magleby Maersk eases from Felixstowe Berth 9 with two Svitzer tugs. As both tugs were standing by the ship waiting for instructions from the pilot, the mooring gang were also standing by. With a deep draught of 15.1 metres bound of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia the Magleby had a tight tidal window for departure.
Being a 400 metre mega ship, Harwich Haven pilots prefer to have a 3212 tug to make fast aft as they have a bollard pull of 80 tonnes and can produce a weight of 90-100 tonnes of steerage when they are engaging in a powered indirect. Svitzer Deben, a 3212 tug hangs around near the stern while the smaller 2411 Svitzer Sky which has a bollard pull of 70 tonnes makes her way towards the bow.
Firstly the offshore lines fore and aft were slackened as the last crane began to boom up. Crane driver down, the pilot is given to ok to proceed with the departure. Svitzer Sky moves to under the bow to retrieve a heaving line to send their towing line up through the centre lead forward. Once fast, the Sky backs away into a pull position as the rest of the forward lines are released. Deben does the same at the stern of the Magleby and gets ready for the pull off the berth. Springs were the last lines to be released.
The pilot starts with the Deben aft to pull off at 50% shortly after the Sky goes on at 50% with both tugs increasing to full power a couple of minutes later. The pilot uses the bow thrusters releasing black smoke from the port funnel. Steadily the Magleby Maersk clears the berth into the channel. Deben drops in astern as the pilot goes ahead on both engines. Sky goes right ahead at full weight to help Magleby pick up some knots.
After a few minutes of pulling, Sky slackens up ready to let go. As their line drops into the water, the Sky clears the bow to reposition alongside on the port quarter. Approaching the Fort Buoy the pilot gets the Deben to move out on the starboard side for a powered indirect to help the ship steer around the 90 degree Beach End turn out of the harbour. Safely around the corner, Sky peels away from the port quarter while the Deben eases up and closes up to the transom to retrieve their towing gear.
After a week of strong winds the MSC Mirjam departs Felixstowe with two 3212 Svitzer tugs. Svitzer Deben and Svitzer Kent are both made fast on the centre leads. About 10:30am, a Harwich Haven Pilot boarded the deep draughted MSC Cristina at the Sunk heading inbound for Berth 7. A while later another Harwich Haven Pilot boarded the MSC Mirjam alongside Berth 9.
Plan A was to wait for the MSC Cristina pass before slipping away. So as the Cristina passed the mooring gang released the 2 springs each end off the bollards. The pilot gets both tugs to pull straight off at 50% before increasing them to full power before decreasing the Deben. The pilot wanted the Mirjam to go stern first out from the berth with help of the tide and wind.
After a short while the pilot uses the bow thrusters then increases the Deben to full weight to swing the bow into the channel. As the pilot comes ahead on the main engine he gets the Kent drop in astern. Deben eases and slackens ready to let go.
The pilot did not require the Deben any longer so they headed back to the pontoon. Whereas the pilot wanted to keep the Kent fast aft for the 90 degree Beach End turn out of the harbour just incase he needs a little help steering into the North Sea.
The Port of Felixstowe has drafted in Boskalis Westminister to dredge out the harbour andhelp reclaim land in the Landguard box for the port's expansion of Berth 9.
Over recent weeks dredgers Reynaert, Causeway, Freeway and Sospan Dau have been clearing the channels in the harbour including the Landguard box after several winter storms battered the port. After several round trips from the harbour to the spoil ground in the Inner Gabbard, the Freeway made her way to the Cork anchorage where she sat for many days while in the harbour a pipeline was being created along the back end of Berths 8&9 to the northern end of Landguard Quay where the Freeway will discharge the mud she has collected from the Shipwash Bank.
The Freeway has a full load of mud heading inwards to the harbour where they very slowly edge towards the Landguard Box where a floating pipe with marker buoys and on the end of that is a heaving line. Crew onboard the Freeway go to the bow of the vessel where the contents of the hopper is discharged. They recieve the heaving line and begins to lift up the end of the floating pipe to their connector. Shortly after they commence discharging the mud. At the other end of the pipe, water and mud gushes out as a excavator moves the mud around making the water disperse back into the sea.
After discharging the Freeway releases the connector. As she backs away from pipe, orange marker buoys that have been put on the end of the pipe float on the surface.
Using the bow thrusters the Freeway swings to starboard swiftly before running ahead on the main engines to head out of the harbour for another load. A round trip to and from the harbour takes about 4 hours.
The OOCL United Kingdom prepares to sail from the Port of Felixstowe on a bitterly cold afternoon. Usually vessels on the LL1 route travel straight from Singapore to Felixstowe then head to Rotterdam, Gdansk, Wilhemshaven and then back to Felixstowe about 10 day after the first visit before heading East towards the Suez Canal for Singapore. For some reason the OOCL United Kingdom has made an additional call to Rotterdam before heading to Singapore.
The OOCL United Kingdom was the 4th vessel out of 6 to be built in OOCL G Class ships and currently the whole class is holding the Guinness World Record for the largest container ship by capacity afloat each being able to carry a colossal 21,413TEU (twenty foot containers).
Cargo operations complete, the last crane booms up as the Harwich Haven Pilot radios Harwich VTS. The pilot requests the mooring gang and the two tugs that were previosly ordered for departure. Svitzer Deben and Svitzer Shotley leave the tug pontoon to assist the pilot with the departure.
Svitzer Deben positions astern to make fast centre lead aft and the Svitzer Shotley heads towards the bow to make fast centre lead forward. Once positioned the fore and aft lines were slackened and winched back aboard. Just down to springs, the tugs get ready to pull her clear of the berth. A problem with the aft spring was causing a bit of an issue. The pilot gets the Shotley to pull slightly away from the berth just to keep the bow off the fenders. The aft spring issue resolved, the pilot commences with the departure with getting the Deben to pull aft of the beam as a Northerly wind was pushing on the stern. After a few minutes of pulling at a steady weight the pilot increases the Deben to full power to help get the stern into the channel. Up the bow, Svitzer Shotley pulling at minimum increases to half power to keep the bow moving before increasing again to swing the bow into the channel.
The pilot starts to come ahead on the main engine as he gets both tugs to stop towing and Shotley to move right ahead ready to let go. Shotley slackens up and positions under the bow to recieve their towing line, as the end of line drops into the water from the bow of the United Kingdom they begin to increase a few knots astern then peel off onto the Harwich side as the rest of the gear is winched back onboard. The Deben drops in astern as the OOCL United Kingdom proceeds ahead towards the Beach End.
The pilot kept the Deben fast aft until they were safely around the corner out of the harbour but before then the Deben had to perform a risky but essential maneoeure to help the stern swing around the 90 degree Beach End at the enterance of the harbour. The pilot gets the Deben to move out onto the starboard quarter for a powered indirect. Deben begins to lean over at about a 15 degree angle as they increases their power. Once they are out into the North Sea the Deben eases up and positions very close to the transom to collect their tow line.
Last year Felixstowe welcomed over 130 mega ships. To help the ships enter or depart Felixstowe, Svitzer have 4 state of the art tugs ready to assist any ship to the harbour. 2018 is expected to be bright for Felixstowe as a project to heighten 10 ZMPC cranes so the port can handle 4 of the largest ships at the same time.
MTS Valour towing the heavy lift barge Terra Marique leaves the Port of Felixstowe bound for Ellesmere Port. On Sunday 4th February a 141 tonne transformer travelled from Sizewell Nuclear power station's storage yard at Leiston to Felixstowe. With a combined weight of 274 tonnes the abnormal load was going to be moving at a very slow speed the whole way to the port.
The Terra Marique was towed from Portland by the MTS Valour into Felixstowe Sunday afternoon. Very carefully the heavy lift units with the transformer were driven onto the barge to an exact position to keep the barge stablised while in transit.
Just after 11am the MTS Valour connected up ready to tow the barge out of the harbour. A pilot onboard the tug slowly increases their power to get the barge moving. Sitting close to the Fort buoy a Harwich Haven Pilot Launch waits for the tug and tow to pass so the pilot could disembark. The voyage is expected to take 5 days to get to Ellesmere Port.
18 year old MSC Sarah prepares to depart Felixstowe Berth 4 for her next port of Antwerp. As the Maersk Essex was about to come ahead from her berth, MSC Sarah was testing her engines before departure. Thick black smoke poured from her funnel as she tested them.
One tug ordered for departure, Svitzer Deben which had finished with the Maersk Essex was sitting in Trinty 7 berth waiting for the pilot to radio them so they can help with ther departure. Pilot onboard the MSC Sarah, Svitzer Deben heads to Trinity 4 and checks if the engine has been tested and if its safe to come in to make fast aft.
Once fast, the Deben moves out to a pull position as the lines fore and aft are bought back onboard. With the last aft spring released, the pilot begins to gets the Deben take the strain and build up their power to help lift the Sarah off the berth. Moving away from the berth, the pilot goes ahead on the main engine which produced a big cloud of black smoke. Deben was released as the pilot increased the revs ahead.
The Thalassa Doxa sails from Rotterdam with a maximum draught of 12.1 metres. The pilot climbed aboard at the Sunk Pilot Station close to international waters. Proceeding inwards via the deep water channel, the pilot orders two tugs for berthing. The first at the Platters to make fast centre lead aft and the second inside the harbour on a bow to bow.
A little while later the Svitzer Deben leaves the tug pontoon to be the aft tug followed by the Sky about 10 minutes later. Passing 7&8 Buoys, the Thalassa Doxa's bow comes in to sight as she appears from behind MSC Tina alongside on Berth number 9. Svitzer Deben makes fast centre lead aft as she approaches the Beach End turn into the harbour.
As the Thalassa Doxa begins to go on a Northerly heading up the harbour Svitzer Sky makes fast forward on a bow to bow. Further up the harbour the pilot goes astern on the main engine then gets Sky to move out on the port side to swing the bow around. A minute later the pilot gets the Deben to move out onto the starboard side to swing the stern around. Swinging to port fairly swiftly, the pilot uses the bow thrusters releasing a puff of smoke from the funnel.
Swung around the pilot backs the Thalassa Doxa up the harbour towards Trinity 7 where she was berthing. Passing Trinity 5 the Deben comes in to a push position on the starboard quarter. Once the Deben was in position ready to push, the pilot gets them to increase their power to push her towards the berth.
The 366 metre Maersk Essex departs Felixstowe Berth 7 with the assistance of two Svitzer tugs. With a draught of 14.5 metres for her next port of Le Havre. Last of the cranes booms up as the pilot boards the ship. The two tugs and the mooring gang head up to Berth 7. Svitzer Deben and Svitzer Sky leave the tug pontoon to head up the harbour. Deben makes fast starboard of centre aft and the Sky makes fast centre lead forward.
As the tugs back away, lines aft begin to slacken for the mooring gang to release them off the bollards. Last of the springs were released so the pilot could proceed with the departure. The pilt gets both tugs to lift off at half power before increasing them to full power. Kicking astern on the main engine the pilot uses the bow thrusters aswell to help the bow out away from the berth.
Clearing the berth, the pilot goes ahead on the main engine and gets the Sky to stop towing and get in a position to let go. After Sky is clear the Deben closes up to let go.
The HSL Sheffield departs a breezy Felixstowe. HSL Sheffield sails on the Colombia Express which is mostly reefers carrying bananas and other exotic fruits. Svitzer Sky made fast aft gently pulls the ship away from the berth. After a little bit the pilot comes ahead on the main engine while swinging the bow out. As the wind was gusty, the pilot holds on to the Sky around the 90 degree Beach End turn out of the harbour.
The deep draughted MSC New York prepares to depart the Port of Felixstowe bound for Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia. As the last crane boomed up the pilot confirms the draught which was 14.8 metres and he required the two tugs and mooring gang.
The winds, a fresh North Westerly gusting upto 24 knots was going to make this departure a bit more difficult.
The Svitzer Kent and Svitzer Shotley leaves the tug pontoon to head for the MSC New York. The pilot goes through the plan of departure. As the New York is 399 metres, the pilot wanted the bigger tug Svitzer Kent aft as she has more bollard pull and able to perform a powered indirect out of the harbour.
Svitzer Kent makes fast on the centre lead aft while the Svitzer Shotley makes fast on the centre lead forward. Both tugs back away ready to pull the MSC New York off the berth. The lines fore and aft were slackened as they singled up. With the springs to go the pilot gives the tugs the heads up they are almost ready to depart.
Springs let go, the pilot gets the Kent to lift off at 50% while a few seconds later the Shotley is asked to build up to 50% aswell. The pilot then gets the Kent to increase to full power. New York edging away from the berth, the bow begins to swing out too soon so the pilot reduces the power of the Shotley. The pilot uses the power of the tide to bring the stern out. The pilot gives a kick astern on the main engine then a few longer bursts to help the ship move out into the channel. Slowly entering the channel the pilot increase the Shotley's power to swing the bow out.
Wind still buffering on the starboard side both tugs pull the vessel clear of the berth into the channel. Kent drops in astern while the Shotley comes in to let go. Shotley peels off onto the Felixstowe side and positions on the most aft tug marker just incase the pilot required more help turning the 90 degree corner out of the harbour. Kent readys themselves for a powered indirect. Approaching the Fort Buoy Kent gets the instruction to move out onto the starboard side at full line load to help steer the ship around the corner.
Once out of the harbour Shotley is no longer required and peels away from the MSC New York and heads back into the harbour. Kent eases up and closes up to retreive their tow line before breaking away from the stern to head back in to the harbour for the tug pontoon.
The Maersk Sentosa arrives to the Port of Felixstowe as a squall passes through the harbour. The Sentosa sails as part of the 2M alliance with MSC on the TA2 route which links the East Coast of America and Northern Europe.
A Harwich Haven pilot boards the Sentosa at the Sunk Pilot Station roughly 12 miles out in the North Sea. Unknown to the pilot at the time, a squall was heading for the harbour. Once onboard he gets the latest on the weather and traffic from Harwich VTS. Earlier in the morning there had been several departures from Felixstowe and Harwich. Firstly the ferries Stena Forerunner departed Harwich shortly followed by the Suecia Seaways. After the Ferries, deep draughted MSC Heidi left Felixstowe Berth 7. Stena Britiannica left Harwich and finally Seaspan Jakarta left Felixstowe Berth 6 taking up the rear of the ships outbound. The pilot orders two Svitzer tugs, the first one to meet at the Platters to make fast centre lead aft and the second inside the harbour on a bow to bow.
The Svitzer Kent left the tug pontoon to be the aft tug. Svitzer Shotley broke away from the pontoon about 5 minutes later to be the forward tug. As the Maersk Sentosa was heading inwards, the sky began to darken and VTS advised there was a squall about to pass through. Just as the Sentosa was rounding the Beach End turn into the harbour, the heavens opened and the rain fell heavier and heavier making visibility poor in the harbour.
Inside the harbour and on a northerly heading, the pilot asks for an update on the wind speed on the Landguard as the squall was battering the port. After VTS gives an update the pilot confirms that he would be doing a port swing then back up to the berth. Kent made fast aft is requested to lay back at 25% to help slow Sentosa then increase power soon after.
The skies begin to brighten and the rain eases as the squall moves away from the harbour. The Shotley is requested to move out onto the port bow and increase power to take the bow around while the Kent moves out onto the starboard quarter and maintain power as they take the stern around. Swung around the pilot gets both tugs to stop towing as the ship backs up towards the berth. Backing up the harbour, the pilot gets the Kent to move onto the starboard side with some weight on the line.
Approaching the berth with the Shotley on the starboard side waiting for the next instruction, Kent was asked to come in for a push towards the berth. Almost in position on Felixstowe Berth 6 the spring lines forward and aft are made fast on the bollards. The Kent and Shotley are released and head back down to the tug pontoon unill the next work a couple of hours time.
