Port of Felixstowe welcomes the Express Rome. 2 tugs assist with a starboard swing 10th August 2017

The 10114TEU Express Rome is on a 9-12 month fixed charter at $13,000 a day to OOCL. Previously some of the ex Hanjin ships had been on charter up to $45,000 a day but as they were in massive finacial trouble they were liquidated with debts running into $billions the courts forced Hanjin to give the chartered ships back to their owners.

As the pilot boards the Express Rome at the Sunk in the North Sea, Once the pilot was on the bridge he gets in contact with Harwich VTS to confirm that they were inbound with a draft of 13.7 metres from Singapore. VTS replies that there is a ready berth planned portside to Felixstowe Berth 8, wind speed and direction and lastly traffic information the Ultra Large CSCL Arctic Ocean had just left her berth proceeding out of the harbour at the Beach End.  The pilot replies that he requires 2 tugs for berthing the first to be fast by the Platters and the second indide the harbour on a bow to bow and it would be a starboard swing off the berth.

The Svitzer Kent which had finished with her last job the CSCL Arctic Ocean was hanging around near the Beach End waiting for the Express Rome to get closer to be the first tug. As Express Rome passed through the South Shipwash heading for the HA Buoy Kent headed out and made fast centre lead aft. A little while later Svitzer Shotley makes her way towards the Beach end to wait for Rome to round the 90deg Beach End.

Approaching the Platters the pilot blows the ship's whistle at a yacht that was in the main channel into the harbour. The pilot radios the Kent to say that the ship was handling very well and would turn nicely around the 90deg Beach End turn into the harbour.

Safely in the harbour the pilot gets the Kent to go straight astern 50% to start taking some of the speed off. Up the bow Shotley is made fast and begins to stretch their line ready to work. Engine stopped on the Express Rome the tide and forward momentum took her to the middle of the channel and berth where the pilot gets the Kent to move out onto the port quarter and the Shotley onto the starboard shoulder to take her round.

Half way around the pilot gives a kick ahead on the main engine to help keep the swing going. After a little while the pilot radios the Shotley and see what the best plan was to get her alongside. After a little chat on the radio a plan was made that the Shotley would come in to let go and push up midships as the flare on the shoulder would be an issue to land on.

Kent still pulling towards the berth runs out of space so the Kent moves around the othe side into a check position. Shotley pushes her alongside while the springs and forward and aft lines were made fast on the berth.