A new vessel arrival system that minimises the numbers of coal ships anchored off Newcastle has been described as a success by its operator, the state-owned Newcastle Port Corporation.
Corporation chief executive Gary Webb said yesterday the new system had been in operation since June 1 without complaints from the participants.
The state government announced trials of the new system in December 2008 in response to the Pasha Bulker beaching of June 2007.
To minimise the number of ships in Newcastle’s ‘‘unsafe’’ anchorage, the new system encourages ships to drift out at sea or to travel more slowly on what was previously a 14-day voyage from Japan to Newcastle.
‘‘This is not an attempt to hide the queue, the shipping details are there for all to see,’’ Mr Webb said.
Mr Webb did not believe the new system made it harsher for sailors on the coal ships.
Under the scheme, the port keeps track of each ship, using satellite technology, allowing them to keep their place in a ‘‘virtual’’ queue, which largely determines their order of loading.
The queue is published daily at hvccc.com.au, while the positions of ships close to the coast can be viewed on industry websites including marinetraffic.com.
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