OOCL Hong Kong at the Port of Felixstowe. Picture: STEPHEN WALLER www.stephenwaller.com
As she left Wilhelmshaven in Germany late, her arrival time to the Sunk Pilot Station was put back from 8am to 11am.
During the morning Svitzer Kent radioed Harwich VTS with some bad news about one of the tugs. The Svizer Deben had an exhaust problem and that the fumes was filling up the engine room and was not safe to use.
The captain suggested that he would require 3 tugs for berthing so a plan was made that the 3212 Svitzer Kent would be the aft tug with the two 2411 tugs Svitzer Shotley and Svitzer Sky would be the other tugs.
As the morning progressed the pilot launch St Edmund left Harwich outbound with the pilot to board the OOCL Hong Kong at Sunk Pilot Station around 12 nautical miles out in the North Sea. As they approached the Sunk centre lights vessel the St Edmund swung around to board the pilot on the starboard side on a steady course.
Once onboard the pilot was on the bridge he radios Harwich VTS to say they were inbound with a maximum draft of 13.3 metres for Felixstowe Berth 8. VTS confirms that there is a ready berth planned portside to Berth 8, winds SSW 10 knots. The pilot requests 3 tugs for berthing 1st tug at 7&8 Buoys, 2nd at the Rolling Ground and the 3rd inside the harbour.
Heading inbound in the South Shipwash the Svitzer Kent leaves the tug pontoon to be the first tug and paddles out to meet the OOCL. A little while later tthe Svitzer Shotley finishing with her last job heads out aswell.
The Kent makes her approach for the centre lead aft and made fast while the Shotley positions on the most aft tug marker on the starboard side and made fast a little way up from the funnel. The Svitzer Sky leaves the pontoon outbound for the arrival of the OOCL and made fast starboard shoulder.
As the OOCL Hong approaches the 90deg Beach End turn into the harbour the Svitzer Kent goes out on the portside at full line load to help the stern around the corner.
Safely around the corner Kent eases up and drops in astern then goes straight astern 50%.
Passing number 9 Berth the pilot begins to get the tugs in position for a port swing off the berth. Shotley and Kent begins to pull on the quarter Kent while the Sky pushes the bow around.
Carefully swinging around the pilot gives a few kicks astern to keep the momentum going. Almost swung the Shotley comes in for a push and so does the Sky. The Kent comes onto the portside for a few minutes then moves back onto the starboard side in a check position. Alongside the captain required 6, 2 and 2 for the final tie up with spring lines first then the offshore lines.
ETD 0830 Thursday 6th July 2017 for Singapore.
Shipspotters keeping an eagle eye on vessels visiting Britain’s top boxport have an unexpected treat today – with the world’s biggest container ship making a quick return.
The Port of Felixstowe welcomed the OOCL Hong Kong just two weeks ago and the ship is back already.
A port spokesman said after leaving Felixstowe, the vessel – which can carry 21,413 containers measuring 20ft each – visited other European ports.
En route it collected some boxes destined for Felixstowe and so was returning to the Suffolk port to unload these and collect some fresh cargo bound for the Far East which has accrued since its previous visit before travelling back to Asia.
It is currently on berths 8&9 near the Landguard port viewing area and is due to depart tomorrow morning.
Last year the Port of Felixstowe welcomed well over 100 mega ships – those able to carry more than 18,000 standard-sized containers – and this year is expected to break that record again.
Video can be viewed via this link
Clemence Cheng, chief executive officer of the Port of Felixstowe and managing director of Hutchison Ports Europe, said: “The OOCL Hong Kong is the latest in a line of mega vessels to call at the Port of Felixstowe.
“The port’s location close to the main shipping lanes and the ports of Northern Europe, combined with a unique combination of road and rail connections, makes it the first choice for the latest generation of giant container ships.”
The £125million OOCL Hong Kong was built at Samsung Heavy Industries’ (SHI) shipyard in Geoje, South Korea. It weighs in at 210,890 gross tonnes, and has a width of 58.8 metres.
It serves the Asia-Europe trade lane as part of OOCL’s LL1 service, taking around 77 days to make its round trip from Asia on the Ocean Alliance route, which consists of OOCL, CMA CGM, Cosco Shipping and Evergreen Line.
