Maiden voyage Toledo Triumph arrives to Felixstowe, port swing with 2 Svitzer tugs. 29th July 2017

The Toledo Triumph sets sail on her maiden voyage and calls at the Port of Felixstowe. The 365.9 metre Toledo Triumph was built in the Imabari Shipbuildingshipyard in Hiroshima, Japan. The vessel runs on the French Asia Line 6 (FAL6) which calls at Rotterdam before a call at Felixstowe.

A Harwich Haven pilot boards the Toledo Triumph and begins to head inwards via the deep water channel to Felixstowe. The pilot orders 2 Svitzer tugs for berthing, the first by the Platters to make fast for a powered indirect and then a brake down the harbour, the second inside the harbour to make fast on a bow to bow. The plan was for the Kent to be a brake down the harbour then to a port swing off the Guard and  back up to Berth 7.

Also heading inbound was the Lyubov for Ipswich which was only going around 5-6 knots due to a defect with the engine. The pilots on both ships came to an agreement that they would pass each other around 5&6 buoys as the Lyubov was going so show.

The pilot radioed the tugs and said the full speed ahead was only 10 knots so it would take a little while to approach the harbour.

Svitzer Kent was the first tug and was made fast starboard of centre aft ready for a powered indirect around the 90deg Beach End into the harhour.

As they approched the Beach End the pilot came on the radio and got the Kent to go out on the portside at full line load to help the stern around the corner. Once around the corner the Deben makes their approach to make fast on a bow to bow. As the Deben made their approach a canoeist with a death wish was in the channel which the pilot gave 2 short blasts then a long blast on the horn to warn of their arrival. The pilot said to the Deben he can abort if they felt it was unsafe for them to carry on. All fast forward the Deben strectches their line ready to work.

The pilot gets the Kent to go straight astern to take off the knots for the port swing. On a westerly heading the Kent moves onto the starboard quarter and begins to take the stern around. The pilot gets the Deben to move onto the port shoulder and takes her round.

Slowly entering the harbour the Lyubov smoking heavily makes her way up the harbour, the pilot onboard radios the Toledo to check if it was ok for them to slip past them. The Toledo swung the pilot said go for it as they were about to back up towards the berth.

Once they touched the fenders on the berth the crew began to make her fast alongside Felixstowe Berth 7. Tugs were released and the pilot disembarked down the gangway onto the quayside.