Port Procedures and Information for Shipping, Cooktown Pilotage Area

Section 2 Movement procedures

2.1 General

Maritime Safety Queensland, through the authority of the harbour master, has jurisdiction over the safe movement of all shipping within the pilotage area.

The scheduling of ship movements is initiated by the agent submitting movement details for a vessel to Cairns VTS via the QSHIPS ship planning programme in accordance with this section.

2.2 Harbour contact details

Organisation Telephone Mobile Facsimile Email

Cairns VTS +61 7 4052 +61 7 4052 7470 [email protected] centre 7460

Regional +61 7 4052 [email protected]. Harbour Master +61 7 4052 7494 7427 au (Cairns)

[email protected]. Ports North +61 7 4052 +61 7 4052 3888 au (Cairns) 3853

Cook Shire 0407 577495

(Cooktown) (24/7)

Key agency contacts and general information are available at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park website.

2.3 Pilotage

Pilotage is compulsory for:  A foreign flag ship that is LOA 35 metres or more.  An Australian flag ship that is LOA 50 metres or more.  A small ship less than 35 metres (the relevant ship) if: o it is combined with another small ship for propelling one of the ships o the total of the lengths of the ships is 50 metres or more o the master of the relevant ship has command of the combined ships.

All water depths refer to the lowest astronomical tide height. All positions in this manual are in WGS84.

All directions are referenced to true north.

2.3.1 Pilotage area The Cooktown pilotage area is the area of: (a) Waters at the high water mark consisting of the following:  the Endeavour River and connected waterways system from the head of navigation to the river mouth;  from the river mouth, the waters bounded by an imaginary line drawn from the high water mark on Monkhouse Point due North to the high water mark on the mainland at the Southern extremity of Indian Head.

Hard copies of this document are considered uncontrolled. Please refer to the Maritime Safety Queensland website for the latest version. Port Procedures and Information for Shipping Cooktown pilotage area – October 2012 Page 8

(b) The navigable waters of rivers and creeks flowing, directly or indirectly, into the waters in paragraph (a).

2.4 Ship movement reporting requirements

All movements of ships 35 metres LOA or more are to be reported.

Sections 185 to 190 of the Transport Operations (Marine Safety) Regulation 2004 require that all ship movements for vessels 35 metres (LOA) or more within the Cooktown pilotage area are reported to Maritime Safety Queensland.

Vessels which call to the port on a regular basis may apply to Maritime Safety Queensland for an exemption to the above reporting requirement.

The report should be made using the ‘Arrival/departure report’ Form (see 8.2) and submitted to Cairns VTS at least 48 hours before the arrival movement and at least two hours prior to any subsequent movement.

Reports that cannot be made using the official form shall be made via telephone to the Cairns VTS office of Maritime Safety Queensland on +61 7 4052 7470 (24/7) or email [email protected]

2.5 Passenger ship bookings

Prior to submitting a report of arrival and departure for a passenger vessel a Notice of intention to book passenger vessel (8.4)Error! Reference source not found. form must be completed and sent to Cairns VTS in sufficient time for an appropriate forward assessment of the proposed voyage to be conducted. Please ensure that the proposed maximum draught details are included.

These assessments are conducted with the assistance of a vessel assessment model developed for the port. In order that the vessel data on which these assessments are based is appropriate it is vital that a Vessel details report (new ship) 8.5) is completed as accurately as possible and submitted for the vessel under consideration. The vessel movements must be reported in accordance with 2.4.

2.6 Requests for pilot

A pilotage service is provided by Maritime Safety Queensland (Cairns) for ship arrivals, departures and movements within the pilotage area.

2.6.1 Pilotage booking procedure

In order to ensure the services of a pilot, masters of ships should fax the completed form (see section 8.2 and 8.4 as appropriate) or telephone the office of Maritime Safety Queensland at Cairns VTS at least 48 hours prior to arrival at the pilot boarding ground.

Radio contact should be made with Cooktown Harbour on VHF channel 16, 30 minutes prior to arrival at the pilot boarding ground confirming the arrival time.

Exempt masters are to call Cooktown Harbour 30 minutes prior to entering the port.

2.6.2 Notice required

Ships requiring the services of a pilot are required to submit arrival, removal and departure notices no less than the indicated number of hours prior to the desired movement.  Arrivals 48 hours  Removals 24 hours  Departures 24 hours

2.7 Pilot boarding arrangements

The pilot boarding ground is situated at a position two nautical miles east of the harbour entrance in position latitude 15° 27·0’ S longitude 145° 18·0’ E.

No pilot vessel is available at this port; pilot transfers are usually provided by the vessel’s own tender.

2.8 Pilotage reporting requirements for Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef (GBR)

All merchant vessels 70 metres in length and over and all oil, gas and chemical tankers irrespective of size are required to take a licensed marine pilot when transiting the Torres Strait and Great North East Channel. Pilotage is also required for these vessels transiting the Inner Route from Cape York to Cairns Roads and for transit of Hydrographers Passage. Significant penalties apply for non-compliance.

Full details can be found in Marine Notice 8/2006. Maximum draught for transit is 12·2 metres; vessels with a draught >10 metres will be advised of the required tidal window by the pilotage company.

Refer to Reef Guide – A ship master's handbook to the Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef for further information.

2.9 AUSREP

Participation in the Australian Ship Reporting System (AUSREP) is mandatory for all the following vessels while in waters adjacent to the Australian coastline extending out to the meridian of 163º 00'E:  All Australian registered ships engaged in interstate or overseas trade and commerce, while in the AUSREP area.  Ships not registered in Australia, but engaged in the coasting trade between Australia and an external territory, or between external territories whilst in the AUSREP area.  Ships not registered in Australia, but demised under charter parties to charterers whose residences or principal place of business are in Australia, whilst in the AUSREP area.

 Foreign ships other than the abovementioned ships, from their arrival at their first Australian port until their departure from their final Australian port, however they are encouraged to participate in the scheme from their arrival in the AUSREP area.  Australian fishing vessels proceeding on overseas voyages while in the AUSREP area, but not including those vessels operating from Queensland ports, which may call at ports in Papua New Guinea as an incidental part of their fishing operations.

2.10 REEFVTS

REEFVTS is the name given to the mandatory ship reporting system (SRS) operated under joint federal and state arrangements between MSQ and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) from the ship reporting centre at Townsville. The purpose of REEFVTS is to enhance navigational safety in the Torres Strait and the inner route of the Great Barrier Reef which encompasses the Whitsunday region.

The following vessels are required to report to REEFVTS:  All vessels of 50 metres or more in overall length.  All oil tankers, liquefied gas carriers and, chemical tankers or ships coming within the INF Code regardless of length.  Ships engaged in towing or pushing where it or the ship being pushed or towed is from one of the above categories or where the length of the tow is 150 metres or more.

The SRS applies to all ships in the above categories irrespective of whether they are on overseas, interstate or intrastate voyages. This regulation does not apply to any warship, naval auxiliary or government vessel but they and all other vessels not mentioned above are encouraged to report.

2.10.1 Reporting

When approaching the REEFVTS area vessels are required to provide a pre-entry report at least two hours prior to entering the area or departing from a port within the REEFVTS area. An entry report must be made in respect of a ship as soon as it enters the REEFVTS area or departs from a port within the REEFVTS area. Information received will include ship name, intended route, cargo, draughts and other supplementary information. The amount of information required will depend on whether the vessel has already provided a sailing plan to AUSREP.

Automatic position reporting (APR) via Inmarsat-C is the primary mechanism for ships to provide intermediate position reports. REEFVTS will generally carry out APR remotely without any intervention by a ship's crew. Ships fitted with first generation Inmarsat-C terminals that do not support remote programming, will be required to be programmed onboard for intermediate position reports to be sent automatically.

Mariners are requested to ensure the vessel's Inmarsat-C terminal is logged into the Pacific Ocean region (POR). If a ship is unable to provide Intermediate position reports via APR, brief position reports must be provided on an hourly basis or as advised by REEFVTS. Coastal pilots are required to report to REEFVTS when embarking or disembarking a ship in the REEFVTS area.

Ships are reminded to maintain a listening watch on the appropriate VHF channel frequency for the section of the reef that they are travelling in.

2.11 Customs

(Source: Australian Customs Service (ACS))

Vessels arriving from overseas must submit their documentation 48 hours prior to the nominated date of arrival. If the voyage from the last port is likely to take less than 48 hours then the report is required at least 24 hours before the estimated time of arrival.

All Australian Customs Service forms may be accessed on their web site

2.11.1 Customs and quarantine – yacht arrivals

All yachts arriving in Queensland from overseas must first proceed to a designated port of entry for customs and quarantine clearance at Cairns, Weipa, Thursday Island, Townsville, Mackay, Gladstone, Bundaberg or Brisbane.

At Cairns they should provide prior details to:

Customs: Smallcraft Officer, AAC Building, Cairns International Airport, Qld 4870

Phone: office hours – 07 4052 3580; after hours – 0419 778 990

Email: [email protected]

Radio: VHF channel 16 (Monday to Friday)

Quarantine: AAC Building, Cairns International Airport, Qld 4870

Phone: office hours – 07 4030 7800; after hours – 0417 749 256

Facsimile: 07 4035 9578

The boarding station for arrival will be as directed by customs or the port authority; complete details are available on the Australian Customs Service website.