Ports at Cyclone Alert 3

22 Feb 2024 / Western Australia, Australia

The ports of Ashburton, Cape Preston West, Dampier, Port Hedland, Port Walcott and Varanus Island are at Cyclone Alert Stage 3 – Clear Port, as ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln is expected to reach tropical cyclone intensity overnight tonight (22 February).

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Lincoln is offshore the west Kimberley coast and forecast to move to the west southwest and develop, likely reaching tropical cyclone intensity overnight. It will then turn to the southwest towards the far west Pilbara coast while developing further. On Saturday the system is most likely to cross the far west Pilbara or upper Gascoyne coast and weaken as it moves inland on Sunday.

At 08:00 AWST today (22 February), Lincoln was a Tropical Low with sustained winds near the centre of 45km per hour and wind gusts to 85km per hour. It was located within 55km of 16.1 deg. South 120.6 deg. East, estimated to be 270km northwest of Broome and 650km northeast of Karratha, and moving west at 18km per hour.

All vessels and port users should monitor all weather forecasts. All vessels, port users and port facilities should familiarise themselves with their cyclone response plan and be prepared to fully implement it.

Port terminals and facilities should ensure they are operating within current and expected weather parameters for their facility for the expected weather event, ensuring that vessels are suitably loaded/discharged and vacant from the berths to ensure safe operations in a timely manner.

There is a possibility that cyclone response may include instruction for the port(s) to be “cleared” or “closed” at the direction of the Harbour Master. Vessels should be prepared to either depart the port or head directly to their designated cyclone pen/mooring/berth.

Vessel Masters shall ensure:
- Stability & trim are appropriate for immediate departure to sea;
- Propeller is immersed;
- Manning, stores and bunkers are adequate;
- Engines and machinery are fully operational and ready for immediate use.

Vessels wishing to shelter in either Johns Creek (Port Walcott) or Beadon Creek (Port of Onslow) should contact the local Harbour Controller to confirm their intentions.

The Harbour Master expects that once ports are declared “Clear”, all vessels/marine assets will proceed to their dedicated cyclone berth/pen/mooring OR depart the port for sea. All vessels which do not have a dedicated cyclone berth/pen/mooring will be required to depart and clear the port boundary. Adequate time to gain sufficient sea-room should be incorporated into the planning for this contingency.

No vessels will be granted access to the port(s) once “Clear” is declared.

For further details and updates, as well as information abut operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.