Port changes to deliver major benefits in shipping efficiency and safety

20 June 2006

An increase in the depth of the main shipping channel into the Port of Brisbane, and the introduction of a new under-keel1  clearance system by the Port of Brisbane Corporation, will deliver significant benefits in efficiency and safety to port users, both onshore and off.

The 25km North-West Channel has now been deepened to 15m (from 14.7m), bringing the main shipping channels spanning almost 70km to a 15m depth.

“By deepening the channel in several areas, the Corporation has standardised the channel depth to keep pace with the growing number of shipping operators who are using larger vessels to carry larger cargoes,” Port of Brisbane Corporation Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Coleman, said.

Mr Coleman said the benefits delivered by the channel deepening would be further enhanced by the recent introduction of a Dynamic Under-Keel Clearance system (DUKC®) to the port.

“The DUKC uses real-time data - such as tide times, wind and weather conditions - to assist shipping operators to more accurately determine sailing times and vessel drafts so that ships can transit channels with greater safety and maximum efficiency.

“Its introduction at the Port of Brisbane means shipping operators will be able to maximise the draft of vessels coming into and out of the port.

“These developments are the latest in our efforts to continue to deliver an efficient transport system to better operate in increasingly competitive markets,” he said.

Mr Coleman said the port’s deep-water access, combined with its capacity for growth, would ensure that the Port of Brisbane remains well positioned to service increasing vessel sizes and cargo volumes well into the future.

“We have also received approval from various agencies, including the EPA, Marine Parks and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, to commence a 15-year programme to realign the Spitfire Channel – making it safer and easier to navigate.”

Maritime Safety Queensland will operate the DUKC® system, developed by Australian company O’Brien Marine Consultants, which has been successfully implemented at eleven ports around Australia and New Zealand.
 
1. Under-keel clearance is the distance between the bottom of a ship and the seabed.