Table E1: Overview of anchorages for the Reef’s five main ports (* source: GHD 2013 as at year 2032.) Ports: Cairns Townsville Abbot Point Hay Point Gladstone Current Future* Current Future* Current Future* Current Future* Current Future* Ship calls per year 476 501 726 1161 179 1640 796 2380 1510 3029 Average per cent direct to berth 85% >85% 44% Uncertain 20% Uncertain 1% 1% 20% Uncertain Average per cent direct to anchor 15% <15% 56% Uncertain 80% Uncertain 99% 99% 80% Uncertain Number of anchor locations (if designated) 8 Possibly not > current - Possibly not > current - Possibly not > current 102 Possibly 129 32 Possibly not > current Average waiting days 0.5 Uncertain 3 Uncertain 3 Uncertain 19 (sample) Uncertain 4 Uncertain
Table 43: Overview of current and future anchorage demand for the Reef’s five main ports (* as at year 2032) Ports: Cairns Townsville Abbot Point Hay Point Gladstone Current Future* Current Future* Current Future* Current Future* Current Future* Ship calls per year 476 501 726 1161 179 1640 796 2380 1510 3029 Average per cent direct to berth 85% >85% 44% Uncertain 20% Uncertain 1% 1% 20% Uncertain Average per cent direct to anchor 15% <15% 56% Uncertain 80% Uncertain 99% 99% 80% Uncertain Number of anchor locations (if designated) 8 Possibly not > current - Possibly not > current - Possibly not > current 102 Possibly 129 32 Possibly not > current Average waiting days 0.5 Uncertain 3 Uncertain 3 Uncertain 19 (sample) Uncertain 4 Uncertain
Table 52: Overview of ship anchorage management options and relevance for Port of Cairns Option Name Assessed Criteria (Potential Net Benefits) Economic / Commercial impacts Environmental impacts Ship safety / Response impacts Other user impacts Relevant for future 1 Business-as-usual Yes (supports tidal access & Minimal (occurred) Excellent (close to port) Minimal (current) Yes 2 Improved Yes (when port access dredged) Possibly (via less use of anchorages) Excellent (close to port) Possibly (via less use of anchorages) Yes 3 All-at-Port High negative Uncertain Excellent (in port) Possibly (via no use of anchorages) No 4 All-in-Port limits Likely no change Likely no change Likely no change Likely no change Part of 1 5 Fixed-Moored High negative Likely negative Likely negative Likely no change No 6 All-at-Sea Negative Uncertain Likely negative Uncertain No 7 Scheduled Arrivals Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No 8 Scheduled Arrivals plus Anchorage Benefits & costs to be evaluated Possibly benefits or no change Uncertain Possibly benefits or no change No
9 Demand Management (a) Capped ship arrivals High negative Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No (b) Anchorage pricing Negative Likely no change Likely no change Likely no change No 10 Port consolidation Strategy High negative Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No Others (a) Ship dynamic positioning High negative Potentially (no anchorage used) Uncertain Likely no change Part (cruise ships) (b) Mixed options - - - - 1 and 2
Table 53: Overview of ship anchorage management options and relevance for Port of Townsville Option Name Assessed Criteria (Potential Net Benefits) Economic / Commercial impacts Environmental impacts Ship safety / Response impacts Other user impacts Relevant for future 1 Yes Minimal (occurred) Excellent (close to port) Minimal (current) Yes 2 Improved Yes (efficiencies) Uncertain Excellent (close to port) Uncertain Yes 3 All-at-Port High negative Uncertain Excellent (in port) Possibly (via no use of anchorages) No 4 All-in-Port limits Likely negative (uncertain if feasible) Uncertain Likely negative (navigation issues) Uncertain / Possible No 5 High negative Likely negative Likely negative Likely negative No 6 All-at-Sea Negative Uncertain Likely negative Uncertain No 7 Scheduled Arrivals Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No 8 Scheduled Benefits & Possibly Uncertain Possibly benefits No
Arrivals plus Anchorage costs to be evaluated benefits or no change or no change 9 Demand Management (a) Capped ship arrivals High negative Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No (b) Anchorage pricing Negative Likely no change Likely no change Likely no change No 10 Port consolidation Strategy High negative (uncertain for coal) Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No Others (a) Ship dynamic positioning High negative Potentially (no anchorage used) Uncertain Likely no change Part (cruise ships) (b) Mixed options - - - - 1 and 2
Relevant ship anchorage management options for the Port of Abbot Point The possible future relevance of the identified ship anchorage management options specifically for the Port of Abbot Point was considered with regard to four criteria: Possible economic and commercial impacts Possible environmental impacts with the goal of achieving net environmental gains Possible ship safety and emergency response impacts Possible other user and social impacts. An overview of the results of the examination for the Port of Abbot Point are contained in table 54. Ship anchorage at the Port of Abbot Point was considered to be typical of a single commodity coal export port. It was noted that part of the current anchorage area is inside of the port limits and anchorage drop points are undesignated. The expected relatively significant growth in future ship calls (around 11 per cent per year, refer to section 4.7.3) at the Port of Abbot Point was considered to support improving current anchorage practices by implementing designated anchorage areas. The option of scheduled arrivals with designated anchorages was also considered to be relevant. However, there is some discussion that scheduled arrivals may possibly result in ships idling more at sea and/or anchoring elsewhere than if more designated anchorages were provided. The current practices of ship anchoring with the current size of port operations were considered to have minimal impact for the environment and other users beyond that which has already occurred. Ship safety and the ability to rapidly respond to any maritime incident are considered to be excellent under existing arrangements given the close proximity of the main anchorage area to the port. Environmental and economic benefits may, however, be realised if anchorage areas were designated at this port. In conclusion, current practices with designated anchorage areas as a future improvement and possibly scheduled ship arrivals if and when anchorage demand dictates, were envisaged as relevant anchorage management options in the future for the Port of Abbot Point.
Management (a) Capped ship arrivals (b) Anchorage pricing Negative Likely no change Likely no change Likely no change No 10 Port consolidation Strategy High negative (re alternative port routing) Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No Others (a) Ship dynamic positioning High negative Potentially (no anchorage used) Uncertain Likely no change No (b) Mixed options - - - - 1, 2 and 8
Table 56: Overview of ship anchorage management options and relevance for Port of Gladstone Option Name Assessed Criteria (Potential Net Benefits) Economic / Commercial impacts Environmental impacts Ship safety / Response impacts Other user impacts Relevant for future 1 Business-as-usual Yes Minimal (occurred) Excellent (close to port) Minimal (current) Yes 2 Improved No (already designated areas) No (already designated areas) No (already designated areas No (already designated areas No 3 All-at-Port High negative Uncertain Excellent (in port) Possibly (via no use of anchorages) No 4 All-in-Port limits Technically unfeasible Uncertain Likely negative (navigation issues) Uncertain / Possible No 5 Fixed-Moored High negative Likely negative Likely negative Likely negative No 6 All-at-Sea Negative Uncertain Likely negative Uncertain No 7 Scheduled Arrivals Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No 8 Scheduled Arrivals plus Anchorage Benefits & costs to be evaluated Possibly benefits or no change Uncertain Possibly benefits or no change No (exception being for coal ships)
9 Demand Management (a) Capped ship arrivals High negative Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No (b) Anchorage pricing Negative Likely no change Likely no change Likely no change Possibly 10 Port consolidation Strategy High negative (re. alternative port routing) Uncertain Uncertain Uncertain No Others (a) Ship dynamic positioning High negative Potentially (no anchorage used) Uncertain Likely no change No (b) Mixed options - - - - 1, (8), 9