4 Svitzer tugs assist the MSC Ditte in to a wind swept Felixstowe. 11th September 2017

As Felixstowe had shut down cargo operations for a while last night due to high winds, 2 ships, the 400 metre MSC Ditte and the 366 metre Cosco Shipping Himalayas were waiting in the North Sea for a pilot to board so they could berth at Felixstowe. But as the winds picked up and the sea became rough it was deemed unsafe to board a pilot on to these ships. Even the Sunk pilot station was closed for a while.

As the sun rose over Felixstowe, the winds began to died down, enough for the Harwich Haven pilot to board the MSC Ditte A boarding time of 08:30 was confirmed and shortly before 8am the pilot launch headed out on the rather bumpy North Sea to the Sunk pilot station. Before the pilot headed out, he indicated that he would definitely require 3 tugs but would assess the winds when he got onboard if the 4th tug was needed. With winds still gusting around the 30 knots mark, the pilot and tugs had an interesting bit of work to do to bring the MSC Ditte safely alongside.

MSC Ditte heading inbound with the pilot @rascalmaster onboard, radios Harwich VTS to confirm they have a maximum draft of 13.2 metres from her last port of Tangier-Med. VTS replies that there is a ready berth planned portside to Felixstowe Berth 9, traffic information Stena Britiannica had given their 30 minute call before departure and finally the most important , wind speed and direction which was 250 degrees 25 gusting 29 knots. The pilot replies in that case he requires 4 tugs for berthing. The first one of the big ones centre lead aft to meet at 7&8, second outside the harbour push on starboard quarter then make fast as they swing, third tug the other big one at the corner on a bow to bow for centre lead forward and the 4th inside the harbour make fast starboard shoulder.  Duty tug copied some of the conversation but to be sure he asked VTS to go over it again to make sure he got all the information for the other tugs.

As the MSC Ditte passed through the South Shipwash, Svitzer Kent leaves the tug pontoon heads out on the green side of the choppy harbour to be the first tug, shortly followed by the Svitzer Sky. As Kent was made fast aft, the 2 other tugs left the tug pontoon battling the wind and sea. Svitzer Sky makes their approach on to the starboard quarter ready for the push around the Beach End.  MSC Ditte closing in to the harbour, the pilot gives the Kent the heads up that in a few minutes he will require them to the  go out on portside at full line load and the Sky to push full at a 45deg angle to help steer her around the 90deg Beach End into the harbour.  Kent moves out for an indirect and Sky begins to push up full. With a good rate of turn around the corner, the Kent radios to say they were catching up the Ditte and may have to reduce their power.

Safely around the corner Kent drops in astern and goes straight astern 50% to begin to knock off some of the headway. Svitzer Deben makes fast centre lead forward and begins to stretch their line ready for work. Kent increases to 75% as the wind pushes them up the harbour. Shotley makes their approach to make fast on the starboard shoulder. The ship taking a while to slow up, the pilot gets Kent to increase again up to full power as the ship's engine comes astern. Big ships tend to get a swinging motion when the engine goes astern so to counteract that Kent is asked to favour the port quarter and Deben to favour the starboard shoulder.

Headway down to a crawl of a knot or two the pilot gets the Kent to go out on the port quarter at a 90deg angle and slowly begins to pull the stern around and so the does the Deben moves out onto the starboard shoulder at 90deg building up to 75%. The Sky begins to push up at a 90 degree angle and builds up to a 75% push while Shotley makes fast on the starboard shoulder and when ready to go out at a 90 degrees and pull full. Kent increases to full but says they might have to reduce and shorten as the South Shelf Buoy was closing in on them.  Swinging to starboard almost on the spot, the pilot gives a kick ahead to keep the ship moving soon kicking astern as they become parallel with the berth.

The pilot gets all 4 tugs to get into check positions to hold her back from the wind and ease her onto the berth. Metre by metre the Ditte closes in on the berth, blocking out the view of the current world's largest container ship the OOCL Hong Kong.

Mooring gang waiting for the heaving lines for the springs to come ashore off the MSC Ditte, they prepare to make her fast alongside Felixstowe Berth 9 with a final tie up of 6 and 2 each end with spring lines first.

ETD Thursday 14th September at 4am but expected to change as there is a Met Office weather warning out for strong winds gusting up to 60mph Tuesday evening into Wednesday.