The 366 metre 13396TEU CSCL Jupiter has ran aground after experiencing some issues. A back-up system was kick started but was not powerful enough to steer her around a tight corner  subsequently grounding. She was sailing from Antwerp to Hamburg when the incident happened this morning 14th August. Shortly after grounding some tugs were sent to assist but they were fighting a ebb tide. The operation has halted until a plan was drawn up to free the ultra large ship.

Reports going around has suggested that she suffered rudder failure.

CSCL  Jupiter which sails on the French Asia Line 7 (FAL7) had a draft of 13.7 metres bound for Hamburg and due to Felixstowe on the 21st August. At least 8 tugs have been sent to assist the Jupiter which hopefully will refloat on the next high tide which is around 8pm tonight.

At present some commercial traffic can pass but large shipping has been suspended until further notice.

In the last 2 years there has been the 400 metre 19100TEU CSCL Indian Ocean in February 2016 ran aground on the Elbe River enroute to Hamburg where it took several attempts to refloat her including a spring tide. Her bunkers were removed to lighten her draft and with 12 tugs including x2 120 tonne bollard pull ocean tugs to pull her free.    Also in February 2016 the 368 metre APL Vanda was deliberately ran aground on the Bramble Bank in the Solent near Southampton after she suffered complete loss of power. 8 tugs were successful in pulling her off the sand bank.

Sadly grounding or cargo shifting causing major listing is not a something taken lightly.  With orders for even larger ships insurers are getting twitchy with insuring such vessels. Ship yards in South Korea and China getting orders for even larger ships, incidents like this will happen a lot more often.

Stay tuned for more info when I have it.

I've been Dean Cable and thank you for reading.

Cape Tainaro arrives to the Port of Felixstowe, starboard swing with 2 tugs 13th August 2017

New build Cape Tainaro which is on charter to OOCL for US$18,000 a day from Costamare, arrives to the Port of Felixstowe with a maximum draft of 9.9 metres.

A week previous she had been in Felixstowe staright from Singapore fully loaded. While she was berthed last week she was on a discharge only then headed off to Rotterdam before making her way to the Deep water anchorage around 14 miles off the East anglian coast to wait to come in to Felixstowe for the UK exports to the Far Eastern Countries to then head of Singapore via the Suez Canal.

A confirmed pilot time was made this morning 10:30 UTC but there was a delay at some point so he time was put back to 11:45UTC.
Once the pilot had boarded at the Sunk Pilot Station he informed Harwich VTS that they were inbound with a draft of 9.9 metres from her last port of Rotterdam. VTS replies that a ready berth planned portside to Felixstowe Berth 8 and 40 metres from the end of the quay, wind on the Landguard 305° 2-6 knots and the tanker Stenstraum outbound in the main channel out for the Sunk. The pilot replies that he would require 2 tugs for berthing, the first one outside the harbour centre lead aft and the second tug bow to bow inside the harbour. I would be a starboard swing off the berth.

Approaching the harbour, Svitzer Deben leaves the tug pontoon to head out to be the first tug followed a short while later the Sky. The one of the tug called up the pilot to ask how he would use the bow tug. He replied that he would like them on a bow to bow then once they have swung to let go and push up midships onto the berth.

Rounding the Beach End the pilot comes on the radio and says to the Sky that speed is 6 knots through the water and 7 over the ground and when they are ready the crew are waiting with a weighted heaving line. Speed reducing the pilot comes astern on the main engine producing a plume of black smoke.

Just off Berths 8&9 the pilot get the Deben to go out on the port quarter and pull full while the Sky moves out on the starboard shoulder and pulls full on the bow to swing her 180°. As she swings the pilot comes ahead on the main engine releasing another plume of thick black smoke. Swung 3/4 of the way around the Sky comes in to be released and repositions on the starboard side midships to push alongside the berth.

The Deben running out of space on the portside moves around to the starboard side into a check position. Once on the fenders the crew and mooring gang made the Cape Tainaro fast alongside Felixstowe Berth 8 with a final tie up of 5 and 2 each end.

ETD 07:00 Wednesday 16th August.

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.

CSCL Arctic Ocean departs Felixstowe with 2 tugs 10th August 2017

Harwich Haven pilot boards the heavily laden CSCl Arctic Ocean for her departure from Felixstowe bound for Singapore via the Suez Canal. The pilot orders  2 tugs for departure both to make fast on the centre leads. Svitzer Kent goes aft and Svitzer Shotley goes forward.

The CSCL Arctic Ocean had a maximum draft of 14.2 metres, although she has a capacity of 19100TEU there wasnt much space left but a large amont of the boxes onboard were probably filled with fresh air (empties).

The Shotley was made fast first, The kent was made fast after a few of the offshore lines were slackened  and bought back onboard. The last of the lines bought back onboard, tugs all fast and in position to pull off the berth. With the NNE 12-15 knot wind helping  the CSCL drift steadily off the berth, after a while pilot gets the Kent to increase to a 25% pull away from the berth shortly followed by the Shotley going on 25%. Steadily the tugs increase to 50%. As the pilot wanted to get the stern out first he gives a kick astern on the main engine and gets the Kent increase to full while the Shotley goes all easy and stops pulling. After a while the Kent stops pulling and the Shotley increases to full power to swing the bow out into the channel.

As the pilot comes ahead on the main engine a yacht or to what the locals call them 'clothed engined twot' comes in the channel. The pilot gives a long blast on the whistle to warn that they were in the channel and a lot bigger than them. Slowly the yacht makes their way out of the channel. The Shotley comes in to be released.  Shotley peels off to Felixstowe side and heads back to the tug pontoon. The CSCL proceeded towards the 90deg Beach End turn out of the harbour still with the Kent fast aft just incase she is needed for a powered indirect sround the corner.

Once around the Beach corner  the Kent is released and hangs around the Beach End waiting for the Express Rome which was at the South Shipwash inbound for the berth that the CSCL had just come from.

Fully loaded Majestic Maersk departs the Port of Felixstowe for Malaysia 5th August 2017

The Majestic Maersk departs Felixstowe with the help of Svitzer Kent and Svitzer Sky. The 399 metre ship had been around Europe before calling at Felixstowe to load up with the UK exports and fresh air (empties) for the Far East to be refilled and head back through the cycle again and again.

After her 2 days in Felixstowe she was almost fully loaded and ready to depart.

As the tide rose, the pilot boarded from the shore side. Once on the bridge he goes over the plan for departure with the captian and then radios Harwich VTS and orders the 2 tugs for departure. The Svitzer Kent and Svitzer Sky switches onto channel 12 and so does the pilot. The Kent takes the centre lead aft while the Sky takes the centre lead forward. As the lines were slackened both tugs were in position to pull the Majestic off the berth. A problem with a one of the spring winch delayed the departure for a few minutes. Electrician working to solve the issue manages to reset it and and the last of the lines were bought back onboard.

The pilot comes on radio and gets the Kent to pull straight off at 50% with the Sky following a few seconds later. Slowly edging away from the berth the pilot comes on the radio again and increases both tugs to full power. The pilot gives a kick ahead on the port engine to help with the departure. The Kent reduces power to help the Sky bring out the bow into the channel. As the pilot comes ahead on both engines he gets the kent to drop in astern and then gets Sky to pull full ahead to help pick up some knots. After a few minutes the Sky is released and repositions on the port quarter just incase the Majestic needs a little more help around the corner.

As the Majestic Maersk approaches the Fort Buoy the pilot gets the Kent to go out on the starboard side for a powered indirect around the 90deg Beach End turn out of the harbour. Kent increasing power the to help the stern turn. The pilot asks the Kent if the speed is ok, the Kent replies it was perfect also asked if she was turning ok, the pilot replies that she was turning nicely and was about to turn hard to port.

Safely around the Beach End the pilot releases the Sky and gets the Kent to close up to let go.  The Majestic follows the main channel to the Sunk where  the pilot disembarks onto a pilot launch and on to the next job of the Thalassa Pistis inbound for Felixstowe Berth 7. Majestic then heads south towards the Suez canal for Malaysia.