Mossel Bay : Functions

Radio/port control

Mossel Bay Port Control operates on a limited basis. The port’s Control Centre is manned from 06:00 to 18:00 daily. A Transnet National Ports Authority watchman is employed during 18:00 to 06:00.

Ballast requirements

All ships arriving at the facility are required to have sufficient ballast to give a safe draught for manoeuvring. This should be at least 25 % of SDW. Ships arriving with insufficient ballast may be required to increase ballast if the Transnet National Ports Authority pilot considers it necessary to do so.

There is a shore ballast water facility available that is suitable for the reception of WHITE PRODUCT CONTAMINATED ballast only. This ballast may be discharged at the buoy through one of the floating hoses, but only after consultation with the Loading Master.

All non-segregated ballast can be discharged to the shore reception facility and may produce no black oil contamination. The Ship’s Master shall ensure that not less than 25 % of the summer deadweight of ballast or cargo is on board during loading operations at any time.

The requirement is to prevent too high a vertical loading on the buoy turntable bearing during the initial stages of loading and to ensure that the vessel has good manoeuvrability at all times should it be required to leave the buoy.

Pilotage

Transnet National Port Authority provides pilotage services for all vessels utilising the port or off shore facilities. The rendezvous position with the pilot launch is 2 miles north east of Cape St. Blaize.

The mooring launch will be used as the pilot vessel for the pilot and other personnel to board from, and for passing the pick-up rope to the ship.

Pilotage is compulsory. However, if the Port Captain is satisfied that the master of the vessel is competent to navigate safely within the limits of the port without the assistance of a pilot, he may grant permission to do so, providing that the vessel is less than 70 m in length, a regular caller, excluding tankers.

Mooring

Ship’s ETA must be sent to the ship’s agents 72/48/24 and 12 hours before arrival. On arriving for berthing, the Transnet National Port Authority Pilot will board the ship approximately 1 – 2 miles to the eastward of the facility, or at the discretion of the pilot by radio.

The Transnet National Port Authority Pilot will then advise the Ship’s Master on the mooring operation by discreet use of the helm and engines. Prior to the Transnet National Port Authority Pilot boarding the ship, two heaving lines and a messenger rope should be made ready on the fo’c’sle head.

The derrick should be made ready on the PORT side. A pilot ladder, rigged with two manropes, is required to be deployed 2 m above the waterline. Should the freeboard exceed 9 m, a combination of accommodation ladder and pilot ladder will be required.

A tanker basket containing tools and equipment for the connection of the hoses is required to be lifted on board. On the close approach to the buoy, the mooring launch will pass to the ship a mooring pick up rope by connecting the ship’s messenger line to it.

The ship will then heave on the messenger until the pick up rope is on board, which will then be heaved up until the chafe chain comes through the bow stopper and the ship is secured. When this operation is complete, the floating hoses will each be connected to previously selected manifolds.

The connection is made by the use of bolts to the 8” manifold flanges and the hoses will be supported by “hanging off ” chains to suitable eye pads on the deck opposite each connection.

In order to avoid damage to the submarine pipeline and the SPM anchor chains, the ship’s anchor will not be used under any circumstances and will remain secure during berthing operations and for the whole period that the ship is moored to the buoy.

Assistance (e.g. tugs)

Extensive towage and salvage resources (operated by private enterprise) are available and tug facilities are also utilised for sea rescue and salvage operations.

One small tug with an HP of 1400 is available to assist vessels berthing and unberthing. The port provides a berthing gang of 3 to assist with berthing/unberthing, for whom accommodation is required on board.

The BTV will attend to the hoses and will remain on the station in the vicinity of the buoy as the diving support and pollution control vessel. The BTV has a capability of towing and is able to hold the ship off the buoy if required.