Redwise-DCP, aanbieder van Diepzee- en Kustloodsen, werd gevraagd om te assisteren.
Every second year a new Passing Planning Guide is published by Witherbys Publishing Group for several congested passages. These guides are made for, among others, the English Channel, Dover Strait and the Southern North Sea. Witherbys Publishing Group requested Redwise-DCP to join for a practical hands-on experience of a deep draft transit. Redwise-DCP, provider of Deep Sea and Coastal pilots, was of course happy to assist.
To enhance the overall safe passage of these congested waters, Redwise-DCP is always happy to assist with practical input from our Deep Sea & Coastal. On request, one of Witherbys staff could join on an actual deep draft voyage from the entrance of the English Channel up to Rotterdam. The staff member was accommodated on board of the VLCC Olympic Trophy of the Springfield Shipping Co., a well established principal of Redwise. With gratitude to Springfield Shipping Co., which was willing to accommodate the extra man on board during the passage.
To give an impression of scale on the VLCC Olympic Trophy, you will find the helicopter landing on the starboard side of the forward deck, delivering two Rotterdam pilots on arrival of Rotterdam pilot station. It almost makes the helicopter look a “small Dinky Toy”.
The Olympic Trophy has a carrying capacity of 320.159 tonnes, or as popularly said a two-million-barrel capacity class tanker / VLCC. It has a length of 339 meters, exceeding three soccer pitches in a row and being substantial wider with her beam of 60 meters.
During the passage Mr. H. Harris of Witherbys gained first-hand experience of the process, including boarding, the cooperation of the Master, the bridge team and the Deep Sea & Coastal pilot, the interactions with other ships in the busy lanes and convergence in Dover Strait during tidal bound entry and passage of Eurogeul and the deep water. A big thank you to the Master and crew of the Olympic Trophy for being so accommodative and helpful.
Redwise-DCP pilots are all fully licenced in accordance with Dutch law following a thorough theoretical, practical and simulation training, and examined by an independent examination board. This is supported by an advisory committee consisting of members of the Dutch Coastguard, the ministry if infrastructure and waterways (ILENT), the Dutch pilotage association and the Dutch Master Mariners Association (NVKK). The operations are certified by DNV in accordance with the ISO 9001:2015 standard. In addition, Redwise-DCP pilots provide training and sea trial on new build vessels and Offshore VTS services in traffic lanes during seismic survey, drilling, decommissioning and salvage operations.