PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Barrow Island
Pilot
updated Aug 2010Pilot Boarding: The Pilot/Mooring Master and Tanker Safety Officer will board incoming tankers at the Arrival Position. The Master, or one of his qualified deck officers must be on the bridge at all times while the tanker is being manoeuvred.
The pilot ladder shall be available to the Pilot/Mooring Master and kept at a proper height for his safe use for boarding and disembarkation. When the distance from the water to the deck exceeds 9m, the pilot ladder shall be rigged in combination with the accommodation ladder or an approved mechanical pilot boarding appliance used. The tanker shall provide an adequate lee for embarking and disembarking the Pilot/Mooring Master. The hose connection equipment is contained in two large metal boxes which should be lifted on board at the Arrival Position and landed just forward of the starboard manifold. The back up lines and terminal mooring tails will be delivered after the Pilot/Mooring Master has boarded the tanker.
Mooring Vessels: The mooring vessels shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Pilot/Mooring Master. Any service and/or facilities provided by Chevron including, but not limited to, the services of a Pilot/Mooring Master, mooring vessels and their crews, or mooring and loading equipment, shall be at the tanker's sole risk.
Key data
updated Nov 2025Size limits
Harbour: LOA 299.99m, draught 11.6m, beam 49m, 119,456DWT.
Offshore: LOA 249.97m, draught 11.6m, 115,909 DWT
Water density
The Port of Barrow Island is an open port where the density of the water is generally a consistent 1.025 kg/m3.
Load line zone
South Indian Ocean Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical May 1 to Nov 30, Summer Dec 1 to Apr 30.
Tides
The direction of the tidal stream is approx 245° on the flood and 065° on ebb and attains a rate of 1kt at springs.
The tidal range is 3.4m (Springs) and 0.8m (Neaps) at the BWI tanker mooring and 2.5m(Springs) and 0.7m(Neaps) at WAPET Landing
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gorgon LNG Terminal | 11.60 m | 300 m | 2 |
| Marine ExportTerminal | 11.60 m | 250 m | 1 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Jan 2019Approach
The minimum water depth in the vicinity of the berth and in the approach channel is 12.0m CD.
Port limits
Port limits include all that portion of water east of the high water mark of the Indian Ocean on the eastern shore of Barrow Island and contained within the arc of a circle with 7nm radius from position 20°46.83'S 115°27.9'E.
Arrival Position:
The "Arrival Position" is 2nm E of the moorings in approx position 20°49'N 115°35'E.
Anchorages
Except in emergencies, vessels may only anchor within the designated anchorage(s).
Outer Anchorage:
The designated anchorage (B1) is located outside port limits and is centred in position 20°48.6'S 115°36.5'E with a radius of approximately 0.28nm ( 530m).
The seabed consists of sand, shell and coral. The holding capacity has been reported as good to very good.
Restrictions
Note: In order to berth during ebb tide, the tanker must be at the arrival position (2nm E of moorings) at least 2 hours before the slack tide. A tanker arriving after this time may be requested to await suitable tide conditions.
The minimum water depth in the vicinity of the berth and in the approach channel is 12m below CD.
Under Keel Clearance (UKC): To provide a safe margin should sailing be delayed for any reason, the following UKC shall be maintained at all times up to and including the LW following the tanker's projected sailing time.
Tugs
One twin screw omni-directional propulsion tug with 35t bollard pull available for making fast and standby duties.
Mooring
Arrival condition: The tanker shall arrive ballasted to at least 25% of its summer deadweight tonnage, with propeller (and bow thruster if fitted) submerged, unless directed to carry more ballast by the Pilot/Mooring Master during adverse weather. Tankers should have a stern trim of less than 4m.
Order of berthing: Tankers will normally berth in the order of arrival, but due regard will also be given to nominated date ranges and such other matters as Chevron deems relevant to a fair and necessary berthing order.
Chevron will provide two vessels to assist in mooring tankers at the terminal.
Charts and publications
AUS 63, 327, 328, 742. Admiralty Pilot NP13.
Reporting before arrival
updated Jan 2019ETA and pre-arrival notices
A continuous listening watch on Chs 14 and 16 is to be maintained by tankers when within 100nm of the terminal. The terminal does not keep a listening watch on any marine radio channel. The tanker's agent will communicate the planned pilot boarding time by fax to the tanker. Any communication with the terminal prior to pilot boarding time should be through the tanker's agent. During berthing, loading and unberthing, the terminal will provide portable UHF radios for communication between the tanker and the terminal onshore control room.
Communications
Barrow Island Port:
Telephone: +61 8 9184-3666
E-mail: [email protected]
Call: Port of Barrow Island
VHF: Ch 10
Test Calls During Loading: in order to check radio communications between the tanker and the onshore control room, the tanker is required to call "Barrow Terminal" every hour at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour using the UHF hand held radio supplied by the pilot. At 15 min past each hour when the onshore terminal responds, the terminal should be advised of the previous hour's loading rate and the total amount of cargo loaded so far.
Barrow Terminal will call the tanker on the hour and 30 minutes past the hour.
Should any of these calls fail to establish communications between the shore and the tanker after taking reasonable steps, including calling on VHF Ch 14, to re-establish communications, the onshore terminal will shut down loading until the communications are re-established. If the tanker cannot contact the terminal, the Pilot/Mooring Master shall be advised immediately.
Notice of readiness
Subject to any agreement between the Owner and the vendor of the crude oil to be lifted, provided that Chevron is supplied with a copy of that agreement not less than 5 days before the ETA, NOR will be accepted when the tanker is all fast in the berth, ie; when all mooring lines, backup lines and swamped mooring lines are made fast.
For the duration of a vessel's stay within the Port of Barrow Island the vessel agent or operator shall send regular progress reports providing the ETD and sailing draft of the vessel daily.
Notifications to the Port of Barrow Island are to be sent to the Marine Communications Operator and Port Captain
Health
Quarantine service is not available.
Customs and immigration
Customs services are not available.
Notices and regulations
Cathodic Protection: A tanker equipped with an impressed current cathodic protection system shall ensure the system is switched off prior to approaching the moorings until the tanker is unberthed. The Master shall be required to sign a declaration to the effect that the impressed current cathodic protection system is turned off before the tanker is allowed to berth.
Inspections
Port State Control here: Tokyo MOU, Indian Ocean MOU.
Running now: the Paris and Tokyo MOU concentrated inspection campaign on cargo securing, 1 September to 30 November 2026. Its questions are published: the questionnaire.
ISPS
ISPS Designated Authority: Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
Contact person: The Secretary.
Address: GPO Box 594, Canberra ACT 2601 Australia.
Tel: +61 2 6274 7114.
Fax: +61 2 6274 7994.
Mob: +61 0417 273 185.
24 hour contact: Office of Transport Security Operations Centre.
Tel: +61 2 6274 8187.
Fax: +61 2 6274 6089.
Email: [email protected]
ISPS Compliance: ISPS compliance is 100% for Australian ports, Australian port facilities and Australian flagged ships.
For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org
Port services
updated Oct 2024Bunkers, water and stores
Not available.
About Barrow Island
updated Dec 2017Where it is
Barrow Island is located some 30nm from the Western Australia mainland and approximately 75nm west of the mainland port of Dampier. The Port of Barrow Island is located on the east coast of Barrow Island.
The port
The Marine Terminal is located on the eastern side of Barrow Island with the CBM 9.8km offshore at approx 20°48.57'S 115°33.09'E. The terminal is used for the export of Barrow Island Crude oil. Gorgon LNG Terminal on Barrow Island, produces LNG for the Australian domestic and Asia Pacific export markets.
Questions about Barrow Island
What are the pilot arrangements at Barrow Island?
Pilot Boarding: The Pilot/Mooring Master and Tanker Safety Officer will board incoming tankers at the Arrival Position.
What time zone is Barrow Island in?
Local time at Barrow Island is UTC+8. No summer time.
What is the maximum draft at Barrow Island?
The deepest berth listed is at Gorgon LNG Terminal: 11.60 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
What is the water density at Barrow Island?
The Port of Barrow Island is an open port where the density of the water is generally a consistent 1.025 kg/m3.
Which load line zone is Barrow Island in?
South Indian Ocean Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical May 1 to Nov 30, Summer Dec 1 to Apr 30.
Who carries out Port State Control at Barrow Island?
Port State Control at Barrow Island: Tokyo MOU, Indian Ocean MOU.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Barrow Island?
The UN/LOCODE of Barrow Island is AUBWB.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Barrow Island say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.
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A planning aid, not for navigation. These facts come from public sources and each section shows how old it is. Check with the port, your agent, your ENCs and official publications. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.