quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
Think ya might have come in a little too fast, Sparky?

Swapping?

Paint swapping is my guess. They're doin' it right.

I found myself wondering afterwards just what percentage of that video I watched with my mouth open. I'm putting my guess at about 92%.

Here's another perspective...

Looks like the pilot went All Ahead, possibly trying to out-muscle the prevailing wind or, current. Meanwhile, the tugboats are still tied-to so, not sure WTF was going on other than she was coming-in/going-out with a head of steam

It needs a big huge sign STUDENT DRIVER.

Wind was not a significant contributing factor. Idiot at the helm, “all ahead full” was the issue. Tugs had zero effect with that kind of power. With that speed he forgot the tugs were even attached.

Captain Crunch.

Hey, kids, we’ll pause today’s homeschooling lesson for a few minutes for a physics demonstration!

Looks like his props were displacing a fair amount if water. Tug was being towed.

I can relate...My son wasn’t paying attention while docking our canoe today and we rammed the dock mightily...I couldn’t see past my girls who were smacking each other with paddles and blocking my view. These things happen sometimes.

quote:

Originally posted by Otto Pilot:
When docking like that, is it customary for the ship's crew to do the maneuvering with help from one or more tugs, or do harbor pilots handle that sort of thing?

A Harbor pilot in most all ports. Some ships use A tug, some use 2, some use no tugs depending on the port and the vessel itself's maneuverability. The ship has about as much hull under the water as it does above the water. It's pretty well loaded in the video, not fully loaded, but not light by any means.

Something is wrong in this situation, wind doesn't move freighters very much, current DOES. It looks like the freighter is at wide open throttle judging by the black smoke from the exhaust and the prop wash.....could have been a engine control issue. But way too much power being used to just dock the freighter. Tugs are on the stern to give resistance so that they can turn the propeller faster and have more water over the rudder and more steerage. A tug on the bow is used to steer the bow.

Let me show you how to park this, Here hold my beer.

The second video makes more sense.
Like trying to parallel park at 30mph.