The Majestic Maersk sails from Bremerhaven with a draft of 13.4 metres for Felixstowe. While in Felixstowe she will unload some cargo from Europe then completly load up with a combination of cargo and empties from the UK.
The pilot boards the Majestic Maersk at the Sunk which is arund 12 nautical miles off the East Anglian coast. Once the pilot has made his way up on to the bridge he radios Harwich VTS and says that they were inbound with a draft of 13.4 metres from Bremerhaven. VTS replies that there is a ready berth planned portside to Felixstowe Berth 8. The pilot then replies that they would like 2 tugs for berthing, the first at 7&8 for an indirect then a brake ready for the swing, second tug inside the harbour on a bow to bow The plan was to swing to starboard off the berth to go portside to Berth 8.
As the Majestic approaches the HA Buoy the Svitzer Deben heads out of the harbour to be the stern tug. The crew onboard Majestic makes fast the Deben. In the mean time the Svitzer Sky leaves the tug pontoon and makes her way to towards the Beach End. Approaching the Platters the pilot gives the orders for the Deben to go out on the portside at full line load for a powered indirect to help steer around the 90deg Beach End into the harbour.
Once around the corner the Sky makes her approach on a bow to bow to get the centre lead forward. As Sky makes fast, the Deben eases up from the indirect and drops in on the centre line before coming astern as a brake down the harbour. Speed dropping off the Deben moves out onto the port quarter while the Sky moves onto the starboard shoulder.
Swinging to starboard smoothly even with a strengthening wind the tugs carefully rotate the Majestic 180 degrees before the Deben moves from the portside to the starboard side and get in check position along with the Sky to hold The Majestic Maersk back from the wind for a gentle touch onto the fenders on the berth.
No comments:
Post a Comment