This year marks the 150th anniversary of Harwich Haven Authority (HHA). Its predecessor, the Harwich Conservancy Board, was established in 1863 to conserve“the only natural harbour and safe refuge between the Humber and Thames estuaries”. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of Harwich Haven Pilots, when, following the Pilotage Act 187, pilots were transferred from Trinity House to HHA which provides pilotage services for ships using the ports of Harwich, Felixstowe, Ipswich and the small port of Mistley, as well as boarding and landing services for the Thames, Medway, Colne and Crouch. A total of 6168 ships equating to 186 million gross tons entered the harbour during 2012. There were 6229 piloted movements and a similar number of movements where the ship’s masters held a pilotage exemption certificate (PEC), such as those on regular continental ferry or short sea container feeder services. Perhaps reflecting the wider UK economy, 2012 saw ship calls slightly reduced on previous years due to further consolidation of deep-sea container services. The long term trend is for ship calls to reduce whilst vessel size and volumes of containers handled continues to increase.
Risk Mitigation Measures
HHA employs 30 pilots and the Initial training consists of six months of tripping and simulator training where trainees will not only learn the detailed local knowledge and hone their ship handling skills but also develop the ability to assess risk. This ability to conduct a dynamic risk assessment is arguably a pilot’s primary role. Following examination, pilots are initially authorised for ships up to 120 metres LOA and will continue their development through additional simulator training, assessment and examination over the next seven years until they reach Senior Pilot authorisation enabling them to pilot ships up to 368 metres LOA and unrestricted draft. Due to the diversity of traffic within Harwich Haven, pilots can find themselves piloting a state of the art Ultra Large Container Ship (ULCS) with a draft of 15 metres and under keel clearance (UKC) of 10% of draft, followed by a small coaster to Mistley, both challenging pilotage manoeuvres requiring different skills and experience to achieve a safe outcome.
Pilots are of course part of a team. At Harwich the ethos is very much as an integrated port operation and therefore we work closely with Harbour Masters, VTS and all the other port departments. We operate a two boat cutter service with a third boat available at one hours notice. Boarding and landing of deep draft ships is conducted at the Sunk Pilot Station, 3 miles east of the Inner Sunk light float, some 16 nautical miles offshore. The Authority has recently taken delivery of the second of four new 16 metre pilot boats built by Holyhead Marine incorporating a double chine hull for fast transit and stability when boarding and landing.
Economies of Scale
The current market trend is for larger ships, between 13,000 and 18,000 TEU to displace the current ships of 3,000 to 8,000 TEU which will inevitably impact on the numbers of vessels being handled. As in many ports, HHA pilots have had to adapt to the steadily increasing size of vessels from the first Maersk K Class vessel (318m LOA, & 7000 TEU) in 1998 to the Maersk E Class (397m LOA, & 15,200 TEU in 2006. Other container shipping companies have also invested in larger tonnage and senior pilots are routinely handling 350m – 400m vessels. Thus over a twenty five year period, length has increased by 30%, beam by 75% and displacement by 142%. The windage of such vessels amounts to 15,000m² equating to a wind force of 260 tonnes in 35 knot beam winds!
It has been recently estimated that in the Asia-Europe trade, operating a 14,000 TEU ship would generate a $150 per TEU cost saving advantage over an 8,000 TEU ship for each round voyage, depending on the fuel price. When you multiply up and consider that each ship will complete five round voyages per year you can begin to appreciate why container operators in the Europe-Asia trade are so keen to join the ULCS club. It has also been estimated that the value of the cargo when a ship of this capacity departs from the final loading port in China is in the order $1 billion. With the anticipated proliferation of ULCS in the coming years, UK ports will therefore inevitably be handling more of these vessels.
A New Generation
Maersk, are currently building the first of twenty “Triple E” (Economy of scale, Energy efficient, Environmentally improved) class ships. Due to be delivered between July 2013 and 2015 these ships will be 398m LOA and 59m beam and capable of carrying 18,000 TEU. These ships are more full bodied and have been designed for slow steaming. They will have twin engines and twin inward turning fixed pitch propellers. Each engine will generate 43,000 HP which is relatively under powered for a container ship.
The ships have therefore been optimised for long ocean passages and not necessarily for their ability to manoeuvre in confined pilotage waters. With this in mind, Harwich Pilots have conducted a series of ship simulator trials with HR Wallingford, who provide the accurate vessel modelling and ship manoeuvring software required, in order to assess the risk mitigation measures, towage requirements and the likely parameters that need to be in place prior to the arrival of the first in class. Following these exhaustive studies, HHA has confirmed the feasibility of being able to safely handle the Triple Es using the existing tug fleet if and when they call at the Port of Felixstowe.
The Future
Looking ahead it seems the next five years will see the rapid expansion in the numbers of Ultra Large Container Ships, with UK ports struggling to keep pace with a corresponding investment in port infrastructure required. This is despite the current expansion at Felixstowe, reconfiguration of container berths at Southampton and the proposed new London Gateway project which is due to open later this year. Despite the current economic situation, world trade is expected to grow in the long term driven by the emerging economies of China, India and Brazil. Therefore, the opportunities and prospects for the container ports industry in the UK are good in the long term. Container ships are set to increase in size further with the maximum ship dictated by the limits of the Suez Canal and Singapore Straits, key choke points for the Asia-Europe trade and designs for 22,000 TEU capacity ships have already been drawn up.
HHA remains proactive and is already undertaking further studies to evaluate future capital deepening should the need arise. Harwich Haven Pilots will also continue to invest in the professional development of its pilots in order that they can conduct the pilotage and mitigate the risks in handling what are some of the largest ships currently afloat; not only to safeguard the port infrastructure, but also to protect the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and local nature reserves which we are fortunate enough to have adjacent to the Rivers Stour and Orwell.
Mark Murrison
Senior Pilot: Harwich Haven Pilots
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