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Bulletin No:03-2021

RTIO Port Handbook –Dampier and Port Walcott

Non-compliance with Safety Notices

• In 2020, there were 48 safety breaches to Dampier and Cape Lambert, WA terminal
requirements.
• Most of these incidents are recurring events, i.e., other vessels had breached similar
requirements earlier.
• All vessels were provided with relevant safety notices prior arrival.
• All of these incidents could be prevented if safety notices were complied with by vessels.

Safety Notices

•Safety and Behavior Guide

•Alcohol and Drug Testing Procedures

•Machinery Readiness Requirements

•Mooring Operations Procedures –Dampier

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•Mooring Operations Procedures –Port Walcott

•Vessel Line Management –Port Walcott

•Cargo hold entry procedures

•Safe Gangway Operation –Dampier

•Safe Gangway Operation –Port Walcott

•Anchor Lowering Procedures

Incident –alcohol consumption

•Pilot boarded the vessel for departure, Master could not understand briefing and smelt of alcohol.

•Breath analyzer test revealed Master was three times over the standard Australian limits.
•Unberthing operation cancelled and postponed for the next day.
•Onboard Chief Officer promoted as Master to depart the vessel till anchorage, old Master
disembarked from vessel. Vessel permitted to sail upon compliance with Minimum Safe Manning
Document.
•Vessel owners and managers restricted from Rio Tinto ports pending investigation.
Incident –Black out, fuel management

• During departure at outbound channel, vessel suffered Main Engine failure.

•Vessel suffered partial loss of propulsion for 18 minutes resulting in vessel coming to the edge of
channel.

•Vessel safely completed passage after changing over fuel from VLSFO to MGO.

•Root cause indicated inadequate fuel management on board, failure to follow fuel oil handling best
practice.

•Crew neglected early indications of contaminant build up within fuel filter elements due to batch of
fuel in use.

ME incidents data over 2020 in Dampier and Port Walcott Terminals

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Mooring related unsafe practices

•144 mooring related incidents in 2020

•Weighted heaving line used by vessels

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•Ship’s crew heaving on mooring lines without clearance from pilots, and when shore mooring
personnel on dolphins

•Not tending to mooring lines during change of tides and vessel interactions

•Not requesting for tug assistance during ranging of vessel

•Mixed mooring lines used in the same direction

•Mooring winches not set to correct brake holding capacity

•Poor condition of mooring ropes in use

Safety notices on safe mooring operations

•Mooring Operations Procedures –Dampier

•Mooring Operations Procedures –Port Walcott

•Vessel Line Management –Port Walcott

Incident –Crew inside cargo hold during loading operations

•Ship loader noticed a crew member inside cargo hold while changing over cargo holds for loading.

•Cargo hold entry was not notified to terminal or ship loader.

•Cargo hold hatch covers were fully open, indicating, cargo hold is ready to receive cargo.

•Cargo operations were stopped until crew members confirmed to be out of cargo holds, further
entries into cargo holds only after positive communication with terminal.

•All vessels are now requested to revise load plans so that all arrival ballast can be safely carried in
ballast tanks only, so as to eliminate requirement to enter cargo hold during loading operations.

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Crew working at gangway without appropriate PPE

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Crew working at gangway without appropriate PPE

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Anchor fouled –unable to be lowered for berthing

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Master -Pilot exchange form

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Secondary support arrangements: RISKS (AMSA Marine Notice 13/2017)

Some secondary means of support arrangements have been found to have inadequate load bearing
capacity because:
•they are connected to vessel’s cranes or davits with insufficient SWL;

•they are fixed to non-load bearing parts of the accommodation ladder and vessel structure;

•the tensile strength of ropes, wires, pullies and fittings is inadequate.

Some arrangements are not easily adjustable and add a further risk to safety when the
accommodation ladder is lowered or raised to compensate for draught changes or due to tidal
variation.
There are often no policies, procedures or instructions contained in the safety management system
for the use and maintenance of the secondary means of support arrangements and crew have been
unable to demonstrate proficiency in the use of these arrangements.
Secondary support arrangements (in use)

Secondary support arrangements: additional risks

• Secondary support should be properly designed and fit for purpose: To carry out load tests for
arrangements to confirm these are in lines with ship’s gangway load tests.

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•Risk assessment: To be developed as per vessel’s SMS.

•Procedures: To be provided for fitting, maintenance and operation should be included in vessel’s
SMS.
•Training: Crew should be inducted and trained in the use of these arrangements.
Secondary support arrangements (examples)

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Vessels fully laden are at most risk. High winds off the berth can also cause a vessel to range off
the berth. Vessels in Berth 1 & 3 at Low water fully laden are at highest risk.

• Many Masters are not calling for assistance when their vessels range excessively off the berth,
this is not acceptable.

• HEAVING ON LINES DURING STRONG TIDAL FLOW WILL CAUSE LINES TO PART AND IS VERY
DANGEROUS.

• IF YOUR VESSEL COMES OFF THE WHARF GREATER THAN 1-2M THEN VESSEL MUST HOLD ON
BRAKES, AND DO NOT HEAVE. CALL PORT WALCOTT BASE FOR ASSISTANCE ON VHF CH14.

• IF ANY MOORING LINES PART OR ARE CHAFFED AND MIGHT PART THEN CALL THE
SHIPLOADER OR PORT WALCOTT BASE IMMEDIATELY ON VHF CH14.

• It is important to prepare for strong tidal flow and have lines tight before the current off the
berth picks up.

IF YOUR VESSEL HAS LINES CORRECTLY TENDED, AND MASTERS ACT PROACTIVELY, BY CALLING
PORT WALCOTT BASE ON VHF CH14, THEN THEY WILL NOT BE CHARGED FOR TUG AND
MOORING CREW ASSISTANCE.

Table 1.0 Guidance for Vessels, on page 2, shows peak tide for each berth, preventative action to
take to avoid vessels ranging and what to do when your vessel does range off the berth.

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MASTERS ARE TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT WATCH ON MOORING LINES AND KEEP LINES TIGHT
AND WATCH FOR THE RISE AND FALL OF THE TIDE.
ANY CHAFFED LINES SHOULD BE REPLACED, CALL THE SHIP LOADER OR PORT WALCOTT BASE ON
VHF CH14.
IF A TUG IS CALLED TO ASSIST THEN THE MASTER OR A COMPETANT PERSON MUST BE ON THE
BRIDGE FOR THE DURATION OF THE TUG/S ASSISTANCE AND MAINTAIN A WATCH ON VHF CH14.
Vessel lines must be in good condition prior to entering the port. No chaffed or damaged lines.

This information is a guide and does not relieve the Master and crew of their duty and obligations
to maintain a high degree of watchfulness, to notify the terminal of any unsafe situations and to
ensure that every care is taken for the vessel to remain safely alongside.

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Shore Brow
Rio Tinto is committed to the safety of all personnel that visit and work at our terminals, and are
always looking to continuously improve our operations.
In the port of Dampier we have identified an improvement that will enhance the safe access to the
ship when using the shore brows supplied by the terminal.
When your ship is berthed at our Dampier terminals, safe access to the ship is achieved by
connecting the shore brow to the ship’s aft gangway. The shore brow spans the gap from the ship’s
gangway onto the Ship Access Platform (SAP) at the berth (Photograph 1).
On occasions, when low water coincides with cargo completion, the combination of the shore brow
and ships gangway can no longer be used for safe access to the ship.
To achieve safe access to the ship during this period surrounding low water, we request that you
make a minor modification to the ship’s handrails and create an opening forward of the stowed
gangway location (Photograph 2). It would be ideal for the ship to fabricate a gate for the opening, or
alternatively the opening could be secured with safety chains or wires (Photograph 2 & 3).
This opening would allow easy access for the shore brow to be safely secured onto the main deck of
the ship (Photograph 4).
If this work can be undertaken, it must be done prior to berthing or after departure. Hot work
alongside the terminal is not permitted unless in case of emergency where permits will be required
in consultation with the terminal.
Please note, the shore brow can only be used up to an angle of 55 degrees.
We foresee mutual benefits in both safety and efficiency for this minor modification.

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The benefit to the ship includes quick and easy transfer of the shore brow from the ship’s gangway to
securing it directly onto the ship’s main deck. This will also minimise the number of occasions the
ship’s crew need to work over the water while de-rigging and rerigging the ship’s gangway.
The benefit to the terminal includes reduced potential for production delays where a ship may have
to cease loading if the Draft Surveyor and Chief Officer cannot achieve safe access to and from the
wharf for checking the drafts. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter and
joining with us to improve the safety of all personnel working at our terminals.

Machinery readiness requirements at all Rio Tinto managed and/or operated ports
All vessels shall, as a minimum:
1. Ensure that the following machinery and equipment are tested within 4 hours prior pilot boards on
arrival at load-port and recorded in the vessel logbook:

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a. Main propulsion machinery, ahead and astern.

b. Primary and secondary steering gear.
2. Ensure strict adherence to their Safety Management System (SMS), Planned Maintenance System
(PMS) and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) guidelines for all critical equipment.
3. Ensure the maintenance, testing and monitoring of all critical equipment, in particular of main
propulsion machinery is adequately carried out and that the vessel is ready in all respects during
arrival and departure ports.
4. Ensure all personnel in charge of critical machineries are aware of their operation and limitations
including handling of emergency situations.
5. Ensure recommendations / guidelines stated in the fuel oil analysis reports of the fuel in use are
strictly followed.
In addition, vessels are advised to avoid changeover to a new batch of fuel during manoeuvring or
port stay, where practicable. If a changeover to a new batch of fuel is necessary, this should be
completed at least 72 hrs prior arrival at the anchorage or pilot station, whichever is earlier.
Mooring operations at wharves and shipping terminal facilities
Scope and intent
This procedure applies to Rio Tinto owned and/or contracted vessels.
This procedure applies to the management of mooring operations on vessels.
Purpose
Rio Tinto’s number one priority is safety. Mooring line or equipment failures pose a significant risk to
personnel, infrastructure and operations.
The vessel’s mooring line and equipment must always be operated and handled by persons suitably
trained and familiarised. The access to mooring areas must be strictly controlled.
Masters of vessels berthed within the Port are reminded of their responsibility to ensure mooring
lines are adequately taut, sharing equal weight and tended to, particularly over spring tides when
tidal flow, currents and swell within the harbour can be excessive.
Masters of vessels berthing at Rio Tinto facilities are advised that there exists the potential for
significant interaction between ships berthed at the wharves and large bulk carriers entering or
leaving Rio Tinto berths.

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Contributing factors
Parting of a mooring line occurs when it is placed under extreme loads due to environmental factors
(large tidal range, strong winds, etc.), passing vessel interactions, loading conditions (ballast vs fully
laden, vessel’s trim), insufficient monitoring and tending of mooring lines.
In certain instances, mooring lines have parted at loads well below their rated minimum breaking
load (MBL) and in the absence of any vessel interaction. Contributing factors to the early failure of
lines can be the age, material, quality and condition of the line, conditions that it has been exposed
to in use (abrasion, chafing, sharp angles, shock loads), different material of ropes on same lead,
ambient and deck structure temperatures, as well as, at-sea storage conditions.
Mooring Line Management
Vessel owners must carry out regular inspection and protect mooring lines including mooring
winches and mooring equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendation and the
vessel’s Planned Maintenance System (PMS), established under their Safety Management System
(SMS).
Vessel owners are urged to have adequate spare mooring lines on board the vessel at all times.
Monitoring and adjusting mooring lines whilst a vessel is alongside in tidal ports requires Masters
and watch keepers to undertake dynamic risk assessment.
Although mooring management is covered under SMS, below are the generic guidelines for
consideration:
a. All mooring leads and winch drums must be maintained free of rust and directional leads must be
kept well lubricated allowing necessary freedom of movement under load. All contact surfaces
should be free of edges and burrs.
b. Mooring line must be sent ashore using leads as approved by mooring and towing arrangement
plan. Any alternate lead must be used with due caution noting that the equipment may not be
designed to bear geometrical loading of the mooring lead.
c. Special consideration must be given to fittings to be used with tugs. Only leads strengthened and
designed for tug use should be used and when possible closed fairleads must be offered.
d. Mooring winch brakes and lining must be inspected and maintained as per vessels PMS paying
close attention to condition of brake band and contact surfaces. Winch brakes must be set to render
at 60 percent of the design capacity of vessels mooring equipment.

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e. The winch brakes have greater holding power than the heaving capacity of the winch motor. In an
emergency the winch brakes are more efficient to hold the vessel alongside than an attempt made to
heave on the lines using winch motors.
f. Maintain mooring lines free of grease, dirt and grit which can the cause pre-mature degradation of
lines. Where required, the lines must be washed with mild soap and water prior to storage. This is
particularly important at iron berths where lines may have picked up grit from the wharf or on the
main deck. The mooring area should be kept clean and free of any cargo residues etc which may
cause dirt impregnation
g. Warping operations have additional risks. They need to be planned and must be undertaken with
adequate personnel manning the mooring stations. The bridge must be manned at this time with
engines in readiness.
h. Vessel should note that failure of one line during a warping operation or at berth will cause rapid
loading of other lines which may lead to uncontrolled rendering of other lines or their failure.
i. Vessels must only use synthetic lines when berthing at ports in Australia.
j. Weighted heaving lines having heavy weights added to monkey fists are prohibited and can cause
injury to shore personnel.
k. Mooring lines in the same lead, i.e. breast lines, spring lines, head lines should be of the same size
and type.
l. High Modulus Fibre Mooring Lines, when used, are more susceptible to abrasion damage. To avoid
chafing damage, all contact surfaces should be regularly inspected, kept smooth and free from chafe
points. Considerations should be given to fitting polyamide or polymer liners to contact surfaces.
Fibre ropes have a tendency to ‘bury’ under tension, mooring winches with split drums must be used
to ensure no more than one layer of turn on tension drum. Synthetic tails should be attached to
provide additional elasticity and to distribute loadings more evenly among the mooring lines in
service.
Dampier:
• Mooring lines are to be adjusted to ensure that the vessel remains safely secure alongside via the
Ship Loader and does not range off the berth.
• If the Ship Loader is unavailable, vessels must call Hamersley Base on VHF Ch 11.
• Maximum tidal range is 5.3 metres, typical currents are up to 1 knot (flood Southerly, ebb
Northerly).

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• Any parted lines must be immediately reported to the terminal and the terminals mooring crew to
facilitate securing the vessel shore side.
• Ship’s crew are not to utilise the terminals mooring equipment.
• At Parker Point terminal berths 4 and 5 there have been some cases of vessel interaction when
vessels berthed astern are sailing past.
• Masters are reminded to ensure that their mooring lines are adjusted accordingly especially when a
loaded vessel is sailing past to minimise the risk of lines parting due to pronounced interaction forces
owing to reduced under keel clearance or the vessel moving unduly in the berth.

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Mooring operations at wharves and shipping terminal facilities

Scope and intent
This procedure applies to Rio Tinto owned and/or contracted vessels.
This procedure applies to the management of mooring operations on vessels.
Purpose
Rio Tinto’s number one priority is safety. Mooring line or equipment failures pose a significant risk to
personnel, infrastructure and operations.
The vessel’s mooring line and equipment must always be operated and handled by persons suitably
trained and familiarised. The access to mooring areas must be strictly controlled.
Masters of vessels berthed within the Port are reminded of their responsibility to ensure mooring
lines are adequately taut, sharing equal weight and tended to, particularly over spring tides when
tidal flow, currents and swell within the harbour can be excessive.
Masters of vessels berthing at Rio Tinto facilities are advised that there exists the potential for
significant interaction between ships berthed at the wharves and large bulk carriers entering or
leaving Rio Tinto berths.
Contributing factors
Parting of a mooring line occurs when it is placed under extreme loads due to environmental factors
(large tidal range, strong winds, etc.), passing vessel interactions, loading conditions (ballast vs fully
laden, vessel’s trim), insufficient monitoring and tending of mooring lines.
In certain instances, mooring lines have parted at loads well below their rated minimum breaking
load (MBL) and in the absence of any vessel interaction. Contributing factors to the early failure of
lines can be the age, material, quality and condition of the line, conditions that it has been exposed
to in use (abrasion, chafing, sharp angles, shock loads), different material of ropes on same lead,
ambient and deck structure temperatures, as well as, at-sea storage conditions.
Mooring Line Management
Vessel owners must carry out regular inspection and protect mooring lines including mooring
winches and mooring equipment in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendation and the
vessel’s Planned Maintenance System (PMS), established under their Safety Management System
(SMS).
Vessel owners are urged to have adequate spare mooring lines on board the vessel at all times.

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Monitoring and adjusting mooring lines whilst a vessel is alongside in tidal ports requires Masters
and watch keepers to undertake dynamic risk assessment.
Although mooring management is covered under SMS, below are the generic guidelines for
consideration:
a. All mooring leads and winch drums must be maintained free of rust and directional leads must be
kept well lubricated allowing necessary freedom of movement under load. All contact surfaces
should be free of edges and burrs.
b. Mooring line must be sent ashore using leads as approved by mooring and towing arrangement
plan. Any alternate lead must be used with due caution noting that the equipment may not be
designed to bear geometrical loading of the mooring lead.
c. Special consideration must be given to fittings to be used with tugs. Only leads strengthened and
designed for tug use should be used and when possible closed fairleads must be offered.
d. Mooring winch brakes and lining must be inspected and maintained as per vessels PMS paying
close attention to condition of brake band and contact surfaces. Winch brakes must be set to render
at 60 percent of the design capacity of vessels mooring equipment.
e. The winch brakes have greater holding power than the heaving capacity of the winch motor. In an
emergency the winch brakes are more efficient to hold the vessel alongside than an attempt made to
heave on the lines using winch motors.
f. Maintain mooring lines free of grease, dirt and grit which can cause the pre-mature degradation of
lines. Where required the lines must be washed with mild soap and water prior to storage. This is
particularly important at iron berths where lines may have picked up grit from the wharf or on the
main deck. The mooring area should be kept clean and free of any cargo residues etc which may
cause dirt impregnation
g. Warping operations have additional risks. They need to be planned and must be undertaken with
adequate personnel manning the mooring stations. The bridge must be manned at this time with
engines in readiness.
h. Vessel should note that failure of one line during a warping operation or at berth will cause rapid
loading of other lines which may lead to uncontrolled rendering of other lines or their failure.
i. Vessels must only use synthetic lines when berthing at ports in Australia.
j. Weighted heaving lines having heavy weights added to monkey fists are prohibited and can cause
injury to shore personnel.

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k. Mooring lines in the same lead, i.e. breast lines, spring lines, head lines should be of the same size
and type.
l. High Modulus Fibre Mooring Lines, when used, are more susceptible to abrasion damage. To avoid
chafing damage, all contact surfaces should be regularly inspected, kept smooth and free from chafe
points. Considerations should be given to fitting polyamide or polymer liners to contact surfaces.
Fibre ropes have a tendency to ‘bury’ under tension, mooring winches with split drums must be used
to ensure no more than one layer of turn on tension drum. Synthetic tails should be attached to
provide additional elasticity and to distribute loadings more evenly among the mooring lines in
service.
Port Walcott:
• Vessels at berths 1 and 3 at low water, fully laden are at highest risk, requiring the mooring stations
to be continuously manned, with watch arrangements and main engine readiness planned for during
the high risk period.
• Vessels fully laden are at risk to currents (typically strong currents up to 1.2 knots with flood and
ebb tides in SE-NW direction). High winds off the berth can also cause a vessel to range off the berth
particularly in ballast (winds can reach 35 knots generating waves in excess of 2.5 metres). Cyclone
period generally between 1 November and 30 April.
• There is strong tidal flow off the berth when tidal range is greater than 3.5metres (maximum tidal
range is 5.5 metres). Heaving on mooring lines during strong tidal flow will cause mooring lines to
part and is very dangerous.
• Any parted lines must be immediately reported to the terminal via calling Port Walcott Base on VHF
Ch 14.
• If a tug is called to assist then the Master or a competent person must be on the bridge for the
duration of the tug/s assistance and maintain a listening watch on VHF Ch 14.

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Safety and Behaviour Guide

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Guidance Note: Seafarer Alcohol and Other Drugs Testing

This guidance note relates to alcohol and other drugs testing on seafarers working on Rio Tinto
owned and/or contracted vessels.
Purpose
Rio Tinto Marine’s number one priority is safety. Seafarers who present themselves for work with
alcohol and/or drugs (including illicit, synthetic, prescription or some non-prescription drugs) in their
system could pose a serious risk to themselves and to others in the workplace/vessels.
Rio Tinto adheres to a zero tolerance policy with respect to the consumption and possession of drugs
and alcohol at all its terminals and sites. To eliminate the risk of substance use, all seafaring crew
accessing Rio Tinto terminals and sites are subject to alcohol and drug screening.
Alcohol and Drug Testing
When accessing Rio Tinto terminals and sites, seafarers will be subjected to the same random tests
related to drugs, alcohol, or both, that employees, contractors and other visitors undergo when

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visiting sites. This may include random selection for testing by date, shift, crew, individual or any
group of individuals.
Even when an individual is tested, he or she is not excluded from the possibility of further tests. Post
incident and casual testing will also be carried out in accordance with the procedure. All tests will be
conducted by a competent and authorised person in accordance with site testing policies.
Individuals are required to comply with instructions to undertake tests. Refusal to comply will be
treated as a positive result.
Positive Test Procedure
Seafaring crew who test positive for alcohol and/or drugs will not be allowed entry into the site
and/or wharf. The tester will immediately inform the wharf Team Leader, who will inform the ship’s
Master of the crew member’s name and test results. Access to the wharf will not permitted until the
crew member is declared fit to do so.
Exceptions will only be considered if the absence of the crew member, who is tested positive for
alcohol and/or drugs, is expected to delay the departure of the vessel from the berth. This exception
can only be authorised by the Site Manager, who shall be notified immediately. With the approval of
the Site Manager, the crew member will be handed over to the ship’s Master at the gate and be
escorted by the Master from the gate to ship’s gangway.
The ship’s Master shall be liable for all associated and transport costs.
Contact
Any questions or queries regarding this guidance note should be directed to:
Vishal Krishnatry
Manager Technical and Coastal Operations
T: +65 66799162
M: +65 9657 8926
E: [email protected]

END OF DOCUMENT

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