Mary Maersk was one of the first Triple E's to be built in the series of 20 vessels, in fact she was the third to be built. Some of the Triple E's had begun to show their age and was in need of a repaint.
Looking like new, Mary Maersk was finishing off cargo but a hazardous box had to be reseated. Time passed and the last crane finally boomed up.
The pilot radios Harwich VTS with the maximum draught which was 12.85 metres for Le Havre and wanted the services. Two Svitzer tugs were ordered. The old man of the Mary Maersk wanted them both aft but the quarter tug made fast before the aft tug.
Svitzer Deben and Svitzer Shotley leave the tug and head for the Mary Maersk. The Capitan of the Mary Maersk wanted them both aft but the quarter tug made fast before the aft tug. Shotley makes fast on the starboard quarter, once fast they back away. Some of the aft lines were dropped to make fast the Deben on the centre lead aft.
Forward lines were slackened and bought back onboard with the rest of the aft lines. Just down to spring fore and aft, the tugs stretch their lines ready for the pull off. All free, the pilot gets both tugs to pull off at 50%. Soon after the bow thrusters begin to take out the bow.
The pilot gets the Shotley to come in to let go. As they come in, the Deben is asked to increase to 75% but the skipper said that with the Shotley closing up and the wash, he would let them get clear before increasing.
The Shotley gone and clear, the pilot asks them to go around to the port quarter ready to assist around the corner. The pilot then asks the Deben to move onto the port side to help swing the bow out as he runs the engine ahead with the wheel hard to starboard.
Finally with the ship coming ahead, Deben drops in astern and favours the starboard side untill required.
Tracking on a southerly heading down the harbour, the pilot gets the Deben to move out onto the starboard side at full line load for a powered indirect. The Shotley just lays alongside the port quarter just incase they were needed for a little extra steerage. Safely around the corner both tugs are stood down and head back into the harbour to their next job on Trinity 4, the Maersk Gairloch away.
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