MSC Jade arrives to Felixstowe Just after the swing torrential thunderstorm rolls in 28th July 2021

MSC Jade 14.7 metre draught from her last port of Le Havre. Pilot boards at the Sunk off a Harwich Haven Pilot launch. Once onboard, the pilot radios Harwich VTS to confirm he was onboard 14.7 metres for Felixstowe Trinity 7. VTS replies that the GSL Ningbo was on the berth and still had a crane boomed down. Pilot was not happy of the delay so made a turn at the Sunk until the GSL Ningbo was breaking away then proceed in on slow speed. The pilot requests 3 tugs for berthing. First at 7&8 centre lead aft, second at the platters to make fast on the starboard quarter and third inside the harbour bow to bow. Svitzer Deben which was alongside Trinity 3 slowly proceeds out to be the aft tug. A short while later, Svitzer Sky breaks away from the tug pontoon to be the quarter tug. As the MSC Jade approaches 7&8 Buoys Svitzer Kent leaves the tug pontoon to be the bow to bow tug. Nearing the Platters, the pilot gets the Deben to move onto the port quarter at 75% for a powered indirect to help steer around the 90° Beach End. Sky makes fast on the starboard quarter and Kent makes their approach to make fast centre lead forward. As the the pilot knocks off the headway with running the engine astern. Barely crawling with the headway at the Guard Buoy, the pilot prepares to swing the MSC Jade to port so he gets the Kent to move onto the port shoulder at 25% power to start taking the bow around. Deben moves onto the starboard quarter at 75% to take the stern around. Sky then begins to increase on the starboard quarter as dark clouds began to sweep in from the South. The wind drops as the first crack of lightning could be seen over on the Harwich side towards Clacton. The clouds intensifies further and torrential rain begins to fall making visibility less than 100 metres. Thankfully the pilot had completed the swing and was backing up towards the berth. The closer the MSC Jade got to the berth, the more torrential the rain became but like every storm, it loses it's energy and begins to move away. Final tie up 6 and 2 each end with springs first fore and aft ETD Monday 2nd August 2021 AM