PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Port Botany
Pilot
updated Feb 2015- Botany Bay pilot boarding ground Pilot boards34°01.0′S 151°20.0′E
Pilotage is compulsory for all vessels 30m in length or more unless the master holds a PEC (Pilotage Exemption Certificate), and is available throughout 24 hours.
Pilot ground: Because of the frequent presence of swell and its changing pattern close to the port entrances, no arriving vessel should proceed inshore of the pilot boarding ground without the approval of the pilot. The Master must ensure that sufficient sea room is maintained to allow room for manoeuvres to provide a proper lee for the pilot cutter.
Port Botany Pilots operate from a base in Brotherson Dock and will call on VHF Ch 13, approximately 20 minutes before the pilot booking time, on the way out to sea to meet an approaching vessel. The service is available throughout 24 hours.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ARRIVAL:
Engines are to be tested before the Pilot boards, if they have not been tested in the previous 24 hours.
Pilot ladders on all vessels, entering or departing Port Botany, are to be rigged in strict accordance with SOLAS regulations and IMPA recommendations. Harbour Control will advise of the height of ladder above water (2.5 to 3m) requirements.
Two proper manropes must be provided at all times.
No tripping lines are to be attached to the pilot ladder below the lowest spreader.
Where the freeboard of the vessel exceeds nine metres and the use of a combined accommodation ladder and pilot ladder is necessary, the lower platform of the accommodation ladder should be about seven metres above the waterline and, together with the pilot ladder and manropes, be secured to the ship's side.
Pilot hoists are not acceptable as an alternative to a combination ladder and may only be used with the agreement of the Harbour Master.
A vessel manoeuvring to pick up a pilot for Port Botany should maintain a speed of about 7kts and steer a course which puts the prevailing swell on the opposite quarter to the side on which the pilot ladder is rigged.
Key data
updated Feb 2026Size limits
LOA 336m, beam 48.4m, draught 15.2m, 117,170DWT
Water density
1025.
Load line zone
Summer.
Tides
HW springs 1.6m, HW neaps 1.3m.
Tidal streams: both ingoing and outgoing, set through the entrance to Botany Bay at a rate of 1.5kts. During heavy rain the outgoing stream is much accelerated.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayes Dock Terminal | — | 328 m | 5 |
| Patrick Port Botany | 15.20 m | 336 m | 4 |
| DP World Sydney Port Botany Terminal | — | 335 m | 3 |
| Bulk Liquids Terminal | 14.00 m | 270 m | 2 |
| Caltex Refinery | 11.60 m | 280 m | 3 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Feb 2026Approach
Vessels bound for Port Botany should keep to the N of the port entrance leads, well clear of the outward traffic area "Delta". Depths in approach channels are as follows:
The entrance channel is 213m wide and dredged to a minimum depth of 15.0m, the swinging basin at Brotherson Dock has been dredged to 14.4m, the bottom is sand.
Hayes Dock: Navigable channel area has been extended to include passage to new port area, to include new Berths 1 to 4 and new berths 5 and 6 in W area of Brotherson Dock (The Knuckle).
Channel to Kurnell berths and swinging basin has 11.9m minimum depth.
Caution: Coastline in the vicinity of Botany Bay is more lower lying than at Sydney and there is dangerous shoal water to the N side of the entrance.
Kingsford Smith International Airport: The E extension runway extends 1.5nm SSE to a point 0.8nm WSW of Port Botany, the E side and head of which are marked by light beacons.
Port limits
The waters of Botany Bay and of all bays, rivers and their tributaries connected to or leading to Botany Bay bounded by MHW mark and by, as upstream boundaries, the E side of the Endeavour Bridge in Cooks River and the E side of the Captain Cook Bridge in Georges River together with that part of the Tasman Sea below MHW mark enclosed by the arc of a circle of radius 4nm having as its centre the navigation light at Henry Head.
Traffic schemes and VTS
All vessels of LOA 30m and over are required to participate in the VTS. Vessels towing, or pushing a tow, where the combined length of tug and tow is equal to, or greater than, 30m are considered to be participating vessels.
Reporting Points: Vessels entering and leaving Port Botany, unless fitted with AIS, are required to report to VTS on Ch 13, when reaching the following positions.
Anchorages
There are no anchorages available inside the port limits. Waiting vessels are recommended to drift off port, keeping a close watch on weather and current conditions. There are no recommended safe anchorages off the coast for vessels waiting to enter Sydney Harbour or Port Botany.
Anchoring is at the discretion of the Master, however, it is highly recommended that vessels remain at least 3.0nm from the coastline and outside port limits.
Restrictions
Kurnell Oil Terminal: Berthing at the alongside berths is to be made in daylight hours only. Main engines must be ready at all times in case vessel is required to vacate the berth at short notice.
There is a restricted area around Brotherson Dock and the Bulk Liquid Berths and their approaches.
UKC: A min UKC of 1.0m is required at all the terminal berths.
Tugs
Two private tug companies with a fleet of modern tugs.
Mooring
MBM: Mooring by 2 anchors and 2 swamp moorings fore and 5 buoys aft.
Charts and publications
BA 4001, 4601, 4602. Aus 808. Admiralty Pilot NP14, NP286(4). NP38 Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals Volume K, AHP 11 Australian National Tide Tables.
Reporting before arrival
updated Feb 2015ETA and pre-arrival notices
Customs arrival message to be sent 96 hours before arrival, see details in Country Information.
Standard messages
Note: To be lodged at Customs Marine Centre, with a copy of the Crew List, 96 hours prior to the vessel's arrival.
unquote
Documents
Sydney Ports operates an internet based computerised system ("ShiPS") which coordinates vessel movement schedules, bookings and port service providers.
See Country section for full details of visa and entry requirements.
Health
Issue of Ship Sanitation Control Certificate and Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificates possible.
All vessels arriving from overseas should submit a pratique form within 12-48 hours before arrival at a port. When pratique has been granted the vessel should proceed directly to the berth or designated place as directed in the pre-arrival communication. A quarantine officer will board the vessel as soon as possible and carry out an inspection. The granting of pratique does not release a vessel's cargo from quarantine, all international goods including ballast water, cargo and crew/passenger effects must be cleared through quarantine before being imported into the country.
Customs and immigration
Port Botany is a First Port of Entry.
The Australian Customs Service have a Container Examination Facility (Gate B15) for inspection of sea cargo, using x-ray scanning. Containers can be packed and unpacked at the site.
Notices and regulations
Area "C" is that part of the area N of the main leads bearing 312°, only vessels entering the port may pass through this area.
Only vessels leaving port may pass through the prohibited anchorage area S of the main leads, designated area "D".
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 Jan 2020Repairs
Most types of repair can be undertaken.
Dry docks
Available at Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour.
Bunkers, water and stores
Fresh water: Available at all berths.
Bunkering: Available at the oil berths at Kurnell (Nos 1, 2 and 3) and by barge at Hutchison Ports Sydney and Patrick Port Botany.
Stores: Available.
Medical
Sydney.
Crew change
There are hotels and transport facilities close to the port.
Transport
Nearest airport: Sydney Kingsford Smith International, 5km.
Airport facilities: International; passenger and airfreight facilities.
Nearest railway: Botany Bay. Rail access provided to all container terminals.
Working hours
Throughout 24 hours, in 3 shifts.
About Port Botany
updated Feb 2026Where it is
Port Botany is located 10.5nm SE of the entrance to Sydney harbour on the N side of Botany Bay. On the S side lies the sub-port of Kurnell.
The port
Port Botany and Kurnell are areas of Botany Bay. The recent history of Port Botany stems from the port of Sydney's need to cater for the growth in container trades. Port Botany was, at first, administered as one unit with Sydney, but increasing traffic volumes has led to the Terminal's position as New South Wales principal container and petrochemical port. Kurnell handles crude oil imports and petroleum products for the oil refinery.
Traffic
Approx 3,200,000t of cargo, 3,000,000TEU and 1,600 vessels handled annually.
Questions about Port Botany
Where does the pilot board at Port Botany?
The pilot boards at Botany Bay pilot boarding ground, 34°01.0′S 151°20.0′E.
What time zone is Port Botany in?
Local time at Port Botany is UTC+11. Back to UTC+10 on 3 Apr 2027. Clocks go to UTC+11 on 2 Oct 2027.
What is the maximum draft at Port Botany?
The deepest berth listed is at Patrick Port Botany: 15.20 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
What is the water density at Port Botany?
1025.
Which load line zone is Port Botany in?
Summer.
Who carries out Port State Control at Port Botany?
Port State Control at Port Botany: Tokyo MOU, Indian Ocean MOU.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Port Botany?
The UN/LOCODE of Port Botany is AUPBT.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Port Botany 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.
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.