Whyalla

1. Port Whyalla pilot boarding ground Pilot boards33°03.8′S 137°38.8′E

Size limits

Harbour: Draught 11.0m, LOA 200.07m, beam 32.27m, 64,723DWT

Offshore: LOA 299.97m, 208,942DWT

Water density

1026 to 1028.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

Mean min and max tidal range is between 0.6m and 2.3m.

Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.

Approach

Outer Harbour: The channel to the ore loading jetty is from the ESE and has a length of 1.5nm, width of 122m and depth of 10.7m LWOST. The swing basin has a min diameter of 270m, depth 10.7m.

Inner Harbour: The channel to Whyalla Inner Harbour has a length of 2nm, width 120m; swing basin diameter 304m; depth in channel and basin 10.0m LWOST. The bottom is sand and clay.

Both channels are buoyed, and each harbour has it's own leading lights.

Port limits

The port of Whyalla includes all the waters, rivers, creeks and inlets within an area adjacent to and extending approx 4.0nm SE of the port.

Anchorages

Outer Anchorage: Vessels not engaged in transhipping may anchor in a position S of 33°04.00'S, 2 - 3.5nm SSE of No 1 Light Beacon (33°02.40'S 137°37.70'E).

Recommended anchorage area for vessels over LOA 280m:

33°18.9'S 137°33.0'E

33°20.1'S 137°37.4'E

33°25.5'S 137° 35.4'E

33°24.3'S 137° 31.0'E.

Recommended anchorage area for vessels with LOA 280m:

33° 12.000'S 137° 35.400'E

Recommended anchorage area for vessels lesser than LOA 280m:

33° 3.300'S 137° 39.000'E

33° 3.000'S 137° 40.500'E

33° 5.000'S 137° 39.000'E

33° 5.000'S 137° 40.500'E

Restrictions

Under Keel Clearance (UKC): Arriving and departing a minimum UKC of 10% is required, when manoeuvring alongside least UKC is 0.6m and when alongside a least UKC is 0.3m. When loading at the OHTB a min of 0.6m is required to allow for swell surge.

Deep draught loaded vessels are only manoeuvred at or around slack water.

At the OHTB vessels greater than LOA 185m are not usually berthed/unberthed on the ebb tide, but such a decision will be left to Pilot/Master discretion.

Exclusion zone: A 20m exclusion zone exists around all the shoreline in the Port of Whyalla. The exclusion zone covers all the steelworks' shoreline and 20m seaward, commencing on the S side of the Pellet Plant Number 2 Ore Jetty, then generally W, E and N around the jetty, the Tailings Dam Revetment, the Inner Harbour, the E and W breakwaters to the edge of the mangroves. The exclusion zone also incorporates a 20m radius around all navigation beacons within the Port of Whyalla.

Mariners are advised to keep clear of the exclusion zone at all times.

Tugs

Four tugs are available, operated by CSL Australia, Svitzer and Engage Marine.

Mooring

Berthing and unberthing is carried out at all hours. The only governing factors are the tide heights, rate of flow and adverse weather.

Charts and publications

AUS 135, 136. Admiralty Pilot NP13, NP286(4).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

Vessel's ETA should be sent 48 hours and 24 hours prior to arrival via agent, who will arrange pilotage and towage services. Vessels should advise any alteration to ETA. Vessels navigating in the Spencer Gulf should make a security call on Ch 16 before commencing each voyage to advise transit intentions.

Communications

VHF: Port: Ch 08, 09, 12, 16. Callsign "Whyalla Port Control".

Ch 08 (Pilotage and berthing).

Ch 09 (FOTB Operations).

Ch 12 (Port Operations).

Ch 16 (Emergency / Hailing Frequency).

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.

Notices and regulations

Whyalla Port Book: The ship's agent, or when no ship agent is appointed, the Ocean Going Vessel's (OGV's) charterer, will and must ensure a current version of this port book is delivered to the Master of any incoming OGV (either electronically or in person on arrival). Masters of all incoming OGV's to sign and return to the relevant Terminal Manager the acceptance slip, (Annex 1), to confirm that they have been given the Whyalla Port Book

and that they and their crew will abide by it.

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

Repairs

Available. Limited repairs can be undertaken by private contractors.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available at Inner Harbour (Bulk berth & IHTB only).

Bunkering: Diesel is available at Inner Harbour (Products berth only) by road tanker, with 24 hours notice. Marine Gas Oil (MGO) is allowed.

Medical

Whyalla Hospital & Health Service, 1.3km from Outer Harbour.

Transport

Nearest airport: Whyalla Airport located at SW of Whyalla, 7.0km.

Airport facilities: Domestic flights only to international airport at Adelaide.

Nearest railway: Whyalla.

Working hours

Throughout 24 hours for bulk cargoes; 0001-0700hrs, 0800-1500hrs, 1600-2300hrs for non-bulk cargoes.

Where it is

Whyalla is located in Spencer Gulf, South Australia and connected by railway to Iron Knob.

The port

Whyalla Port is owned and operated by Onesteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd (trading as SIMEC Mining). The port divided into 3 main areas known as Inner Harbour, Outer Harbour and Offshore Transhipment Points. The Inner Harbour is for the discharge of bulk raw materials used at the steelworks. It is also used for the discharging of breakbulk cargoes which includes coal, dolomites, limestone and coke by products and the loading of steel products. The Outer Harbour or Ore Jetty and is used for bulk loading of iron ore products. The Offshore Transhipment Operation which is carried out by CSL Australia for and on behalf of OneSteel. There are four prescribed Transhipment points, located south of the Port of Whyalla. (See chart AUS 136), loading via the FOTB CSL Whyalla.

Imports: Coal, limestone, general, dolomite and ferro silicon.

Exports: Iron ore, salt, coke breeze, steel products and nut coke.

Traffic

Approximate 12,500,000t of iron ore are handled annually

Where does the pilot board at Whyalla?

The pilot boards at Port Whyalla pilot boarding ground, 33°03.8′S 137°38.8′E.

What time zone is Whyalla in?

Local time at Whyalla is UTC+10:30. Back to UTC+9:30 on 3 Apr 2027. Clocks go to UTC+10:30 on 2 Oct 2027.

What is the maximum draft at Whyalla?

The deepest berth listed is at Inner Harbour Terminal: 11.00 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Whyalla?

1026 to 1028.

Which load line zone is Whyalla in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Whyalla?

Port State Control at Whyalla: Tokyo MOU, Indian Ocean MOU.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Whyalla?

The UN/LOCODE of Whyalla is AUWYA.

What crews who called at Whyalla 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.

Read and add tips for Whyalla →