CSCL Arctic Ocean departs Felixstowe with 2 tugs 10th August 2017

Harwich Haven pilot boards the heavily laden CSCl Arctic Ocean for her departure from Felixstowe bound for Singapore via the Suez Canal. The pilot orders 2 tugs for departure both to make fast on the centre leads. Svitzer Kent goes aft and Svitzer Shotley goes forward. 

The CSCL Arctic Ocean had a maximum draft of 14.2 metres, although she has a capacity of 19100TEU there wasnt much space left but a large amont of the boxes onboard were probably filled with fresh air (empties).

The Shotley was made fast first, The kent was made fast after a few of the offshore lines were slackened and bought back onboard. The last of the lines bought back onboard, tugs all fast and in position to pull off the berth. With the NNE 12-15 knot wind helping the CSCL drift steadily off the berth, after a while pilot gets the Kent to increase to a 25% pull away from the berth shortly followed by the Shotley going on 25%. Steadily the tugs increase to 50%. As the pilot wanted to get the stern out first he gives a kick astern on the main engine and gets the Kent increase to full while the Shotley goes all easy and stops pulling. After a while the Kent stops pulling and the Shotley increases to full power to swing the bow out into the channel.

As the pilot comes ahead on the main engine a yacht or to what the locals call them 'clothed engined twot' comes in the channel. The pilot gives a long blast on the whistle to warn that they were in the channel and a lot bigger than them. Slowly the yacht makes their way out of the channel. The Shotley comes in to be released. Shotley peels off to Felixstowe side and heads back to the tug pontoon. The CSCL proceeded towards the 90deg Beach End turn out of the harbour still with the Kent fast aft just incase she is needed for a powered indirect sround the corner.  

Once around the Beach corner the Kent is released and hangs around the Beach End waiting for the Express Rome which was at the South Shipwash inbound for the berth that the CSCL had just come from.


Deano C

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