CITPL (Coastal Integrated Terminal & Port Logistics) ran a tight operation. Delays meant demurrage fees, unhappy clients, and a cascade of paperwork that could bury a man alive. But Manish had been a harbor pilot for twenty-three years before a bad knee grounded him behind a desk. He knew the sea’s rhythms better than the algorithms in the new berthing software.
Static. Then a crackling voice: “CITPL Control, this is Captain Deka. We’re carrying a full load of rare earth minerals. But there’s a problem. Our bow thruster is malfunctioning. We’ll need a tug—and a wider berthing window.”
Vessel: M.V. Indus Fortune IMO: 9472031 LOA: 189m Draft: 10.2m Berthing time (scheduled): 21:00 Berthing time (actual): 23:10 (estimated) Tug deployment: Two ASD tugs requested – approved. Weather: NE wind 22 knots, visibility 3 km, moderate chop Incident log: Bow thruster malfunction. Awaiting tug escort.