Port Authority of New South Wales has unveiled a significant upgrade to its marine operations base on Sydney Harbour – Moores Wharf.
The upgrade includes a new floating pontoon to improve access and increase operational efficiency.
Port Authority of NSW CEO, Captain John Finch, said the upgrade was an important improvement to Port Authority’s marine operations on Australia’s busiest harbour.
“Moores Wharf is the home of our Sydney operations team, and the pontoon upgrade will not only improve our operational capabilities but also reaffirms our commitment to safety and responsiveness in the event of incidents in the harbour,” Mr Finch said.
“The two existing jetties had reached the end of their serviceable life, and we decided on a floating pontoon design because it has several advantages over the previous fixed T-jetty.
“The pontoon floats up and down with the tide movement and maintains a consistent level with our vessels’ decks. This ensures our marine operations team can access vessels safely and more efficiently, which is particularly important for quick turnaround operations and emergency responses.
“The pontoon also provides more flexibility for mooring our pilot and multipurpose vessels which will be able to dock regardless of the tide, and we have increased the number of berths to eight.”
As part of the upgrade, a new wave baffle was installed at the end of the wharf, designed to protect Port Authority’s vessels by absorbing energy from waves generated by passing vessels.
“Since we’ve built the wave baffle, we have seen a noticeable decrease in wave action, and the water is a lot calmer making it easier for vessels to dock and manoeuvre,” Mr Finch said.
The new pontoon also comes with an additional fuel bowser to service Port Authority’s vessels, as well as upgraded solar-powered lights to enhance visibility in the marina.
Located next to Barangaroo, the Moores Wharf facility is home to Port Authority’s marine operations base on Sydney Harbour.
The facility serves as a critical staging point for daily operations and emergency response, with marine operations operating 24/7, 365 days a year to oversee thousands of vessel movements on the harbour.
