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A message from the CEO
PPA’s highest priority continues to be the safety and health of all personnel across our operations. COVID-19 is an ongoing issue that we continue to address. PPA has well-established plans and protocols in place and, as witnessed during the recent Perth lockdown, can adapt quickly to changing conditions if needed.
This edition of the Pilbara Portal provides an update on the Spoilbank Marina project, which is well underway, and the decommissioning of the floating deck at the Port of Dampier.
You can also learn more about the Port Hedland Voluntary Buy-Back Scheme (PHVBS), which is administered by a subsidiary of Pilbara Ports Authority called Hedland Maritime Initiative.
Recent momentous occasions for our ports include welcoming the first LNG-fuelled vessel and the first direct shipment of Bridgestone Tyres.
Please enjoy this edition of the Pilbara Portal and we look forward to sharing more updates with you in the future.
Port Hedland named Port of the Year
The Port of Port Hedland received the coveted Port of the Year award at the 2020 Australian Shipping and Maritime Industry awards last week.
The annual awards are independently run by maritime publication Daily Cargo News and recognise the best ports, organisations, services and individuals in the industry.
The award acknowledged the economic importance of the port to the regional, State and national economies, the port’s year-on-year throughput increases from 446.9Mt in 2014/15 to a record 538.2Mt in 2019/20, and projects and technologies in use at the port enabling further capacity growth.
Projects have included the $120 million Channel Risk and Optimisation Project to deliver an emergency passing lane in the outer shipping channel and create a dedicated refuge zone for disabled ships.
The Channel Marker Replacement Project replaced 35 offshore and three land-based navigation markers to ensure the safe passage of vessels through the channel, and the $55.3 million Hedland Tower, which was launched in 2019.
Port of Port Hedland Harbour Master, Captain Heathcliff Pimento, said the port had delivered the record 2019/20 throughput despite the extra demands created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Port Hedland welcomes first LNG-fueled vessel
The bulk carrier HL Green received a special greeting when it arrived at the Port of Port Hedland on its maiden voyage on Wednesday 6 January.
HL Green was the first LNG-fuelled vessel to berth at the Port of Port Hedland, as the maritime industry moves to reduce emissions from shipping operations.
HL Green is distinguished from other bulk carriers by the two LNG fuel tanks at the stern. The tanks each have a storage capacity of 1600m3.
HL Green is one of two 180,000 tonne bulk carriers that were built in Korea and launched on 11 December 2020.
The vessel is expected to make about 10 round trips a year between Korea and Australia.
Transitioning iron ore exports from heavy fuel oil vessels to LNG-fuelled vessels will reduce carbon, sulphur, nitrogen and other greenhouse gas emissions.
If all bulk iron ore presently exported from the Pilbara was shipped using LNG, sulphur and particulate matter would reduce by 95 per cent and nitrogen emissions would reduce by 85 per cent.
The HL Green Captain was presented with a plaque to commemorate the vessel’s maiden voyage and visit to Port Hedland.
Bridgestone Tyres commences direct shipping to Port Hedland
The first shipment of Bridgestone tyres arrived in Port Hedland from Japan on 11 January.
The shipment marked the company’s first direct and recurring maritime freight service in the Pilbara.
Previously, the tyres were shipped to Fremantle and then transported to the Pilbara by truck. The new direct freight service will reduce truck movements between Fremantle and the Pilbara.
Direct freight shipments into the Port of Port Hedland are now possible, following upgrades to the port’s biosecurity facilities.
PPA’s biosecurity certification gives importers certainty that a wider range of products, including containerised cargo, can now enter Australia through the Port of Port Hedland.
Tended awarded for Marina Project
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan and Minister for Ports Alannah MacTiernan reviewed progress at the Spoilbank Marina site on Wednesday 13 January.
During their visit, MGN Civil Pty Ltd was announced as the preferred tenderer for Spoilbank Marina Stage 2 Package 2a. These works are expected to commence in March 2021.
Stage 1 works to create a haulage route to the site are being carried out by Main Roads WA, and have an expected completion date of mid-March 2021.
The tender for Stage 2 Package 2b, which includes dredging of the marina basin, closed on 17 February. The Stage 2 Package 2c tender, which involves the construction of breakwaters and revetments, will close on 5 March.
For more information on the Spoilbank Marina project, follow us on Facebook @SpoilbankMarina or visit our website.
KILO: We Wish to Communicate with You
The administrator of the Port Hedland Voluntary Buy-Back Scheme (PHVBS) now has its own identity: Hedland Maritime Initiative.
The name Hedland Maritime Initiative highlights the long-term goal of developing a unique and attractive maritime hub in the West End of Port Hedland. It also speaks to the rich maritime history in Port Hedland, and the opportunity to bring some of that back to life.
The Hedland Maritime Initiative (HMI) logo incorporates the International Maritime Signal Flag ‘kilo’, which means ‘we wish to communicate with you’.
The HMI administers the PHVBS, providing residents within Port Hedland’s West End area the opportunity to voluntarily sell their property for a commercially-attractive, government-guaranteed market price.
HMI Managing Director Karlene Bylund said the community will hear a lot more about the both the PHVBS and the vision for the maritime precinct.
HMI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pilbara Ports Authority. The PHVBS is expected to be open until 31 December 2023.
Jumbo Vessel in Dampier Heavy Lift
The decommissioning of the Dampier Floating Deck was finalised in November 2020 with the removal of the dolphin structure.
These works involved a 145m-long heavy load carrier, Jumbo Jubilee.
The first two piles were cut prior to the vessel arriving, and the structures, which each weighed 180 tonnes, were lifted onto the vessel.
The second two piles, which weighed 470 tonnes each, were cut while the Jubilee was in place.
Drone footage captured by PPA's Chief Remote Pilot Jeremy Smith shows the worksThis media type is not supported by your browser.
Port of Port Hedland shares festive joy with seafarers
Pilbara Ports Authority staff and the Aviator Group helped the Port Hedland Seafarers Centre share some festive spirit with seafarers in the Port of Port Hedland during the Christmas period.
On 28 November, staff and community volunteers came together to pack 2,000 Christmas gift bags at St Matthew's Church in Port Hedland.
The gift bags included an assortment of items including toiletries, a drink bottle and hat, and an Australian souvenir.
The bags were delivered to 40 vessels in the inner harbour, and via helicopter to more than 50 vessels at anchor.
Largest RO-RO vessel to call at the Port of Port Hedland
The roll-on/roll-off (RORO) vessel Hamburg Highway called at the Port of Port Hedland in January.
At 200m overall length, the Hamburg Highway is the largest RORO vessel to call at Port Hedland to date.
Cargo totalling 1,714Mt was imported and included 63 Mafi trailers with 885 packages of steel pipe.
RORO vessels are designed to carry wheeled cargo such as cars, trains, and sometimes smaller ships.
Staff Profile - Karlene Bylund
Karlene Bylund joined the Port Hedland Port Authority in March 2010 and held roles in property and commercial management before serving as Pilbara Ports Authority Director Commercial from October 2017 until June 2020.
Ms Bylund’s responsibilities have included property tenure management, obtaining property valuations and working on residential leases, as well as management of commercial leases and service provider licences.
As commercial lead, she has worked across critical infrastructure and service provider projects, major tendering and procurement activities. In 2020, Ms Bylund led the development of Australia’s first LNG ship-to-ship bunkering licences.
When the WA State Government announced in June 2020 that Pilbara Ports Authority would administer the PHVBS, Ms Bylund was promoted to General Manager Port Hedland Maritime Precinct and Managing Director of Hedland Maritime Initiative.
Prior to joining Pilbara Ports Authority, Ms Bylund held roles with several State Government agencies and Government Trading Enterprises where her responsibilities included corporate governance, financial, physical resources and operations management.
Ms Bylund has lived in remote and regional WA most of her life, including Karratha and Port Hedland. She and her husband have four adult children and run a small sheep and alpaca farm in the WA Wheatbelt.