Mega- Ship CSCL Arctic Ocean arrives fully laden from Singapore, on a lovely spring morning! Served by a highly trained & motivated team. pic.twitter.com/LLvfmRIR1x
Ultra large CSCL Arctic Ocean takes a 19 day voyage from Singapore to Felixstowe with a draft of 15.6 metres.
The CSCL Arctic Ocean sails on a weekly service on the Asia - North Europe Loop1 with OOCL and China Cosco Line. She will be come back to Felixstowe to pick up mostly empties to head back to Singapore and the other Far East ports.
The pilot left Harwich on the pilot launch St Edmund heading for the Sunk Pilot Station around 12 nautical miles out in the North Sea. The pilot suggested that with the draft of the CSCL there would be a strong possibility that he would require 3 tugs for berthing so a 4th tug was drafted in as a standby tug.
Once onboard the pilot radios through to Harwich VTS to confirms that they are inbound with a draft of 15.6 metres from Singapore with no defects. Harwich VTS responds that there is a ready berth planned portside to number 8. The pilot requests 3 tugs for berthing first tug at 7&8 Buoys to make fast centre lead aft, second tug to meet out before the Platters to position on the starboard quarter for a push around the corner then a push around and the third to meet inside the harbour and make fast bow to bow when she was down to 6 knots.
CSCL approaching the HA Buoy, the first tug Svitzer Kent leaves the tug followed by the Svitzer Shotley. The pilot contacts the tugs and goes onto channel 12. Svitzer Kent a little way out from the harbour makes first contact with the ship. The plan was to do a starboard swing off the berth to go portside to 8.
Svitzer Kent all fast stretches their line ready for a powered in-direct around the 90deg Beach End turn into the harbour. Svitzer Shotley positions ready to on the most aft pushing point on the starboard side. Heading inwards on the last approach to the harbour, Svitzer Deben leaves the tug pontoon to paddle out towards the Beach End.
With knots dropping off the Kent has to ease up as they were overtaking the CSCL. Coming onto a Northerly heading Svitzer Deben makes her approach to receive the heaving line to make fast on the centre lead forward. Svitzer Kent comes onto the centre line and goes straight back at 50% to reduce the headway for the starboard swing off the berth.
The pilot comes astern on the engine but with the wind he needs a little help to keep her straight so Kent favours the starboard quarter while the Deben comes out on the port shoulder to counteract the sideward motion of coming astern.
Once straight the fore and aft tug switch to the opposite sides and begin to swing the Arctic Ocean around. Deben on the starboard shoulder increase to full, Kent on the port quarter increases to full and the Shotley pushes up full on the most aft tug marker on the starboard side. The pilot gives a kick ahead on the main engine to help the swing.
A North Easterly wind (offshore breeze) was not helping with berthing so the fore and aft tug pull the CSCL towards the berth until they ran out of space and move onto the starboard side in check positions. Shotley still pushing brings her alongside where the mooring gang were waiting for the first lines to come ashore.
Final tie up 6 and 2 fore and aft with spring lines first.
The pilots experience, the crew on the tugs and the berthing master working together to bring another 400 metre vessel alongside at Felixstowe.
The CSCL Arctic Ocean sails on a weekly service on the Asia - North Europe Loop1 with OOCL and China Cosco Line. She will be come back to Felixstowe to pick up mostly empties to head back to Singapore and the other Far East ports.
The pilot left Harwich on the pilot launch St Edmund heading for the Sunk Pilot Station around 12 nautical miles out in the North Sea. The pilot suggested that with the draft of the CSCL there would be a strong possibility that he would require 3 tugs for berthing so a 4th tug was drafted in as a standby tug.
Once onboard the pilot radios through to Harwich VTS to confirms that they are inbound with a draft of 15.6 metres from Singapore with no defects. Harwich VTS responds that there is a ready berth planned portside to number 8. The pilot requests 3 tugs for berthing first tug at 7&8 Buoys to make fast centre lead aft, second tug to meet out before the Platters to position on the starboard quarter for a push around the corner then a push around and the third to meet inside the harbour and make fast bow to bow when she was down to 6 knots.
CSCL approaching the HA Buoy, the first tug Svitzer Kent leaves the tug followed by the Svitzer Shotley. The pilot contacts the tugs and goes onto channel 12. Svitzer Kent a little way out from the harbour makes first contact with the ship. The plan was to do a starboard swing off the berth to go portside to 8.
Svitzer Kent all fast stretches their line ready for a powered in-direct around the 90deg Beach End turn into the harbour. Svitzer Shotley positions ready to on the most aft pushing point on the starboard side. Heading inwards on the last approach to the harbour, Svitzer Deben leaves the tug pontoon to paddle out towards the Beach End.
With knots dropping off the Kent has to ease up as they were overtaking the CSCL. Coming onto a Northerly heading Svitzer Deben makes her approach to receive the heaving line to make fast on the centre lead forward. Svitzer Kent comes onto the centre line and goes straight back at 50% to reduce the headway for the starboard swing off the berth.
The pilot comes astern on the engine but with the wind he needs a little help to keep her straight so Kent favours the starboard quarter while the Deben comes out on the port shoulder to counteract the sideward motion of coming astern.
Once straight the fore and aft tug switch to the opposite sides and begin to swing the Arctic Ocean around. Deben on the starboard shoulder increase to full, Kent on the port quarter increases to full and the Shotley pushes up full on the most aft tug marker on the starboard side. The pilot gives a kick ahead on the main engine to help the swing.
A North Easterly wind (offshore breeze) was not helping with berthing so the fore and aft tug pull the CSCL towards the berth until they ran out of space and move onto the starboard side in check positions. Shotley still pushing brings her alongside where the mooring gang were waiting for the first lines to come ashore.
Final tie up 6 and 2 fore and aft with spring lines first.
The pilots experience, the crew on the tugs and the berthing master working together to bring another 400 metre vessel alongside at Felixstowe.
Deano C
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