MSC Maya eases from Felixstowe Berth 9 with assistance of two 3212 Svitzer tugs 5th January 2019

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=u2EXM0IHbWg&t=48s

Published on 6 Jan 2019

Arriving 2 days previous straight from Colombo with a draught of 14.9 metres, she was swung around to go alongside Felixstowe berth 9. The last of the gear bins were put on meaning cargo operations were ceasing and ready to depart from Felixstowe. Cranes began booming up and the pilot was going across from Harwich to the tug pontoon at Felixstowe. Harwich VTS radios the duty tug to say the MSC Maya was booming up and if they could make their way to assist. The tugs reply that they were starting up and about to break away for the Maya. Pilot finally onboard, he radios VTS to confirm that they were ready to depart Felixstowe berth 9 with a draught of 11.5 metres for Rotterdam and would like the mooring gang and the two tugs to assist. The duty tug, Svitzer Kent, speaks to the pilot to find out how he would like to use both tugs. Pilot says both aft, so Kent takes the centre lead aft while the Svitzer Deben makes fast on the starboard quarter. Mooring gang in attendance, the crew begin to single up aft to make it easier to make fast the Kent aft. Lines forward are also released. Singled up to just springs, the pilot radios VTS to get permission to break away from berth 9. Permission granted the springs were slackened and bought back onboard. The pilot gets both tugs to start pulling the stern away from the fenders while the bow thrusters are engaged to bring her out straight. Then the pilot increases the tugs to full power before trickling astern on the main engine. The bow begins to swing out in to the channel. The pilot runs the engine ahead and gets the Kent to drop in astern. Deben slackens down to let go from the starboard quarter. As the pilot required them to assist on the port quarter, they power astern from the port side and around the stern to stand by on the most aft tug marker on the port side. Headway increasing as they round the 90° Beach End, the pilot dismisses the Deben on the quarter and then gets the Kent to close up ready to let go from aft. Both tugs head back into the harbour and Deben takes a turn on Berth 9 to wait for the inbound Ever Golden. Kent paddles back into the harbour then slowly drifts along Landguard Viewpoint before running astern to lay alongside the Deben.