After working cargo during the weekend while alongside Felixstowe Berth 9, a confirmed departure time was made for an 8am get away. Cargo operations were complete as the first glimmer of light began to rise on the horizon. The light of day was building, even with that keen South westerly.
The Harwich Haven Pilot boards the Ever Globe from the shore side and radio Harwich VTS to confirm he was onboard and ready for the services. The maximum draught would be 10.2 metres for Hamburg. Svitzer Shotley was the first tug to leave the tug pontoon to assist with the Svitzer Deben shortly after. The pilot requests that both tugs were to make fast on the centre leads fore and aft with the Deben preferred aft. Just then, the Berthing Master turns up with the Mooring gang. They go to station waiting for the tugs to make fast. Once tugs were fast they backed away ready for the pull. The head and stern lines were dropped two at a time leaving the springs till last. The pilot radios VTS to say they were singled up and working channel 12 with the tugs. VTS gives permission to break away from Felixstowe 9 and updates the traffic information.
Meanwhile, 12 miles out in the North Sea, a Harwich Haven pilot launch was making their final approaches to board a pilot onto the deep draughted CSCL Saturn at the Sunk which was inbound for the berth.
The springs were released fore and aft and winched back onboard. The pilot gets both tugs to take the strain and start off with an easy weight before building to 75%. Steadily she begins to edge into the channel. The pilot uses the bow thrusters to starboard and increases the Deben aft to full power. She backs herself into the middle of the channel. Deben eases and drops in astern as the pilot runs the engine ahead.
On the bow, Shotley eases and comes in to let go. The Shotley's Captain asks the pilot if they would require them to escort on the port quarter. The pilot suggested for them to standby in the area just incase there was a problem. Shotley swings around and begins to make their way towards the stern.
The Ever Globe struggling to pick up headway, the pilot asks if the Shotley could push up midships at full power to get her moving and not too close to the edge of the channel. After a few minutes the Shotley stops pushing and moves back to the tug marker on the port quarter. The pilot gets the Deben to move out onto the starboard side at full power for a powered indirect. Deben increases power and produces a spectacular list.
Halfway around the Beach End turn, the pilot says to the Shotley that once they had broken away from the ships side they would be stood down. Deben eases and gets in a let go position after the Ever Globe had rounded the Beach End.
