Line-handlers ready to secure biggest-ever ship

Willy Freeman and his crew of line-handlers are preparing for the arrival of the biggest ship to ever sail into Bermuda.

Mr Freeman and his team are responsible for tying up all the ships that arrive in Dockyard.

It’s a tough, manual job that involves pulling in huge, heavy ropes that attach cruise liners and other vessels to the dock.

But Mr Freeman told the Bermuda Sun that his guys will take Wednesday’s arrival of the Norwegian Breakaway in their stride.

He said: “There will be eight lines at the bow and eight at the stern once she gets in. But we are used to that and it’s the same kind of ropes that the Norwegian Dawn has to so we have experience with the ropes too. We are all pretty excited to be involved in this and it’s great for Bermuda to have a ship like the Breakaway coming here for its inaugural trip.”

Mr Freeman and his team will be down at Heritage Wharf at just after 7am on Wednesday to prepare for the arrival of the Breakaway. But as soon as they have tied up the brand new mega-ship they will have to shoot down to King’s Wharf to tie up the Summit as well, which get in just after the Norwegian ship.

Mr Freeman added: “There will be six of us working the Breakaway – three at each end.

“She is due to take pilot at 6:30am so that usually means she will be with us by 7:45am.

“I imagine it will take us around half an hour to get her tied up alongside if the weather is kind to us. Hopefully everything will go just fine and it should be a great day for the island.”