After arriving to Felixstowe earlier this week straight from Colombo in Sri Lanka almost fully loaded with cargo from the Far East. As dawn broke this morning land cargo operations were steadily finishing with the last crane booming up around 20 minutes before the tugs moved off the tug pontoon.
Pilot onboard the MSC Oliver, radios Harwich VTS to say they were ready for the services and the two tugs. The pilot then continues with the draught which was 10 metres for Bremerhaven. VTS replies with the wind speed on the Landguard and height of tide. Svitzer Deben was the first to leave the tug pontoon with Svitzer Shotley following closely behind. The pilot wanted the tugs to make fast on the centre leads. Deben went under the stern to make fast centre lead aft while Shotley goes under the bow to make fast centre lead forward.
Once both tugs were fast, they back off into their pulling positions. The lines for and aft were slackened and released. The pilot gets both tugs to lift off at 25% before increasing further. The pilot gives a kick astern to before using the bow thrusters to swing the bow into the channel.
As the pilot runs the engine ahead, deben drops in astern into their escort position while the Shotley, forward, eases and gets in a let go position. Once let go the Shotley swings off onto the Felixstowe side then swings around again sharply to head back to the tug pontoon. Deben is held around the 90° Beach End turn out of the harbour.
Safely around the corner, the pilot stands down Deben and uses the deep water channel to the Sunk where he disembarks onto the Harwich Haven pilot launch St Brendan then embark onto his next job of the empty Santa Isobel for Felixstowe Berth 9 later in the afternoon.
