The Ever Glory makes her debut call at the Port of Felixstowe. The ship is special in 2 ways, she is ranked number 4 in the world's largest container ships and the largest container ship to have an exhaust scrubber fitted to reduce her emissions to below the IMO 2020 rulings.
The Ever Glory sailed from Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia fully loaded with a draught of 15.8 metres and had Evergreen containers on the all sides and on top especially for this journey. Arriving in Rotterdam a considerable amount of cargo was discharged reducing her draught to just 11.1 metres for her next port of Felixstowe.
At 7am one of Harwich Haven's pilot launches heads out to the Sunk Pilot Station where a pilot prepares to board for the inward journey. Once onboard the pilot radios Harwich VTS to confirm he was onboard and inbound with a draught of 11.1 metres for Felixstowe berth 9. VTS replies there was a ready berth planned port side to Felixstowe berth 9 then continues with the height of tide and wind speeds on the Landguard Gauge. The pilot replies that he requires three tugs for berthing, two outside and the third inside the harbour. Duty tug copied the conversation.
Svitzer Kent heads out the harbour to be the first tug with Svitzer Sky following soon after. A little while later, the pilot radios the Kent to say how he would like to use the tugs and who's attending. The plan was for Kent to make fast centre lead aft, Sky to escort on the starboard quarter then push around and the third tug which would be the Svitzer Shotley to meet inside the harbour on a bow to bow. The pilot continued to say that he was intending to swing to starboard off the berth.
Shotley leaves the pontoon and heads towards the entrance to the harbour and waits for the Ever Glory to round the 90° Beach End turn. Slowly she appears at the corner and comes around to a Northerly heading with headway dropping off as she goes. Shotley approaches to make fast forward ready for the swing. A weighted line was thrown down to the Shotley from the Ever Glory and then their towing line was bought up to the bollard. One of the crew signalled to the Shotley that they were fast.
The pilot stops the engine as he instructs the Kent to increase power astern to reduce her speed to a very slow crawl. Sky squares up on the starboard quarter and begins to push full power. A few moments later the Shotley comes out onto the starboard shoulder at a 90° angle and builds to full power. The pilot radios the Kent and says when they were clear of the Shelf Buoy they could build to a full pull on the port side.
Slowly the Ever Glory swings to starboard off the berth. The pilot kicks the engine ahead a few times before contacting the Berthing Master to find out where the final position alongside was. After that, the pilot confirms that it will be 6 and 2 each end but springs made fast then forward and stern lines.
Shotley comes in for a push forward towards the berth. Kent running out of space on the port side moves around to the starboard side into a check position.
Final tie up 6 and 2 with springs first fore and aft.
16 июн 2019
