Maiden voyage Cosco Shipping Denali arrives to the Port of Felixstowe laden from Singapore 190718

Cosco Shipping Denali built in June 2018 makes her European debut by making the Port of Felixstowe her first European port.  At 366 metres in length and 51.2 metres in breadth she can hold just over 14,500teu.  She began her voyage in China before going to Singapore and then through the Suez Canal northbound to Felixstowe.

One of Harwich Haven pilots boards the Denali at the Sunk Pilot Station which is around 12 miles out in the North Sea from Felixstowe.

Once onboard the pilot radios Harwich VTS to say they were inbound 13.9 metre draught from Singapore, planned port side to Felixstowe Berth 9. VTS replies with the wind on the Landguard, height of tide and any conflicting traffic.  After a few moments the pilot requests three tugs for berthing. Two outside, first made fast centre lead aft before the Platter, second starboard quarter then make fast on the main deck but on the quarter and the third inside the harbour to make fast starboard shoulder for a port swing off the berth.

Svitzer Kent heads out to be the first tug and makes fast centre lead aft. Shortly after Kent heading out, Svitzer Shotley leaves the tug pontoon to be the quarter tug. The skipper on the Shotley radios the pilot to say they can make fast whenever the crew are ready as the panama lead was right above the tug marker.  Finally Svitzer Deben slowly heads to the entrance of the harbour to wait for the Cosco Shipping Denali to round the Beach End before making their approach to make fast on the starboard shoulder.

Safely inside the harbour, the pilot uses the Kent as a brake to slow the ship down ready for the swing. To slow down a bit more the pilo runs the main engine astern.

The pilot begins to position the tugs for a port swing so the Kent moves out onto the starboard side, Shotley moves out on the starboard quarter to start taking the stern around. Deben pushes up on the starboard shoulder to take the bow around.

Almost swung around the Shotley comes in to push her alongside Felixstowe Berth 9. Kent helps straighten her for a parallel berthing onto the fenders.

Final tie 6 and 2 with springs first fore and aft then offshore lines.

MSC Tina eases from Felixstowe on a very busy day of ultra large movements 19th July 2018

MSC Tina is currently one of MSC's largest ships in their fleet able to carry an impressive 19,437teu.

Felixstowe was about to experience one of their busiest days for ultra large movements for a good couple of weeks.

The day started off with the MSC Sarah arriving for Trinity 7 just before 6am. Soon after, the MSC Tina was ready to depart for her next port of Le Havre. When she was off the berth, the ferries departed for their various parts of Rotterdam,  then a Harwich Haven pilot boards maiden voyage Cosco Shipping Denali at the sunk to go port side to Felixstowe Berth 9 from Singapore. When she was making fast alongside, 2 pilots came across from Harwich to board OOCL Kobe and Maersk Kawasaki. Tugs from the Kawasaki then went to assist the heavily laden CSCL Indian Ocean off the berth for her next port of Singapore. And the last big ship of the day was the Marseille Maersk from her last port of Colombo.


MSC Tina ready to depart from Felixstowe Berth 9 with the assistance of Svitzer Kent made fast centre lead aft and Svitzer Shotley on the starboard quarter.  Once the lines fore and aft were released the pilot uses the tugs to reverse her off the berth before using the bow thrusters to bring the bow around into the tide.

Safely inside the channel, Shotley is released and makes their way around to the port quarter for a push indirect.   Kent aft drops in astern and prepares themselves to assist steering around the 90° Beach End turn out of the harbour with a powered indirect.

Tide restricted Maersk Edmonton departs Felixstowe with assistance of two Svitzer tugs 17th July 2018

The tide restricted Maersk Edmonton departs Felixstowe Berth 7 for her next port of Le Havre in France.

A Harwich Haven pilot boards the ship for the outward journey to the Sunk where the pilot disembarks onto a pilot launch.

Two Svitzer tugs head up Trinity Terminal to assist the Edmonton off the berth.  Svitzer Shotley makes fast centre lead aft while the Svitzer Intrepid makes fast centre lead forward.

The plan was a simple pull off the berth then release the forward tug when the ship has some headway. The pilot keeps the Shotley fast until they were safely around the 90° Beach End turn at the entrance of the harbour.

CSCL Indian Ocean swings for Felixstowe Berth 8 with two Svitzer tugs 17th July 2018

CSCL Indian Ocean arrives to the Port of Felixstowe with a maximum draught of 13.6 metres from Wilhelmshaven in Germany. The ship had been to Felixstowe about 11 days previous heavily leaden from Singapore. She sails on the LL1 route as part of the Ocean Alliance that calls at Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Yantian, Singapore before transiting the Suez Canal northbound to Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Gdansk, Wilhelmshaven and back to Felixstowe the transits the Suez Canal Southbound to Singapore, Yantian and then start the voyage all over again.

As the CSCL Indian Ocean approaches British waters, a Harwich Haven pilot launch goes alongside the ship to board one of their pilot for the inward journey to Felixstowe.  Once obroard, the pilot confirms that he is inbound with a maximum draught of 13.6 metres from Wilhelmshaven with no defects. He continued that he believed the ship was planned port side to Felixstowe Berth 8. VTS replies that there was a ready berth port side to Berth 8, the wind on the Landguard and height of tide and finally the traffic.   The pilot replies that he wuld like three tugs for berthing, first one make fast centre lead aft at 7&8 Buoys and prefered one of the 3212's. Second at the Platters to push up on the starboard quarter for the corner and then move down for a starboard swing. Finally the thrid inside the harbour on a bow to bow for the centre lead.

CSCL Indian Ocean making progress inwards, Svitzer Kent heads out to be the first tug shortly folowed by the Svitzer Shotley. As the Indian Ocean approaches 7&8, Svitzer Intrepid leaves the tug pontoon to be the bow to bow tug.   Next part of the arrival is one of the most challenging, a 90° corner at the enterance of the harbour. Standard procedure with 400 metre and deep draught ships need a little help steering around the corner so the aft tug move out onto the port quarter for a powered indirect and a tug on the starboard quarter pushes up to give extra steerage.

Safely inside the harbour  the pilot uses the Kent aft as a brake. Up the bow of the ship, Svitzer Intrepid makes their approach to make fast.  After a little while the pilot gets the Kent to favour the port side to stop the ship swinging too far out. Further up the harbour, the pilot gets the Shotley to push up while the Kent goes out onto the port quater to take the stern around. On the bow, Intrepid moves onto the starboard shoulder to take the bow around.

Almost swung around, the pilot gets the Shotley to move up tto midships to push up to the berth.

Final tie up 6 and 2 each end with springs first fore and aft.

ETD 13:00  19th July

Light draughted Murcia Maersk departs Felixstowe Berth 9 for her next port of Bremerhaven

After discharging cargo from the Far East, the Murcia Maersk prepares to depart Felixstowe Berth 9.  The skilled Harwich Haven pilot boards the ship from the shore side. As the last crane booms up the pilot radios Harwich VTS with the details of draught, next port and tugs required.  With a draught of 10.55 metres for Bremerhaven and would like two Svitzer tugs for departure.

Svitzer Kent and Svitzer Shotley both make their way to berth 9 where the pilot gets them to take the centre leads fore and aft but wanted the bigger 3212 Svitzer Kent aft and the smaller 2411 Svitzer Shotley forward. The tugs were made fast before the crew began to single up fore and aft. Spring were the last lines to be released.

The pilot began with an easy pull with both tugs away from the quay steadily increasin power. After a little while the pilot drops the power of the Kent so the Shotley could bring the bow into the channel.

Bow responding to the Shotley, the pilot kicks ahead on one engine before getting the Kent to drop in astern. Once the Kent is right astern the pilot comes ahead on both engines.  Shotley eases and comes in to let go from forward.  Once released they peel off onto the Harwich side and makes their way around to the port quarter for the 90° Beach End turn out of the harbour.  As Shotley comes around the stern, the pilot gets the Kent to move out onto starboard side at full line load for a powered indirect.