TasPorts smoothing Burnie beds

APPROXIMATELY 3,500 cubic metres of sand and sediment build-up will be redistributed within the port of Burnie during a bed-levelling campaign TasPorts is running until 24 June.

The maintenance program is being undertaken by Polaris Marine’s tug Molly Grace, which is fitted with sweeping equipment and used regularly in ports around southern Australia.

TasPorts says the project, which got underway on 11 June, is focused on specific areas of localised sediment build-up, including:

• Berth 7 and it’s entrance corridor;
• The area between Berth 4 and Berth 5; and
• The Northern Basin.

TasPorts notes that seabed levelling is a standard port maintenance activity undertaken to support safe and reliable vessel movements. Over time, environmental conditions and normal port operations can disturb and move sediment within operational areas, creating hallowed areas and uneven build-up on the seabed.

The process redistributes this material from shallow to adjacent deeper areas within the port operational water by sweeping the seabed to restore a flatter profile, helping maintain declared depths and supporting the safe and efficient movement of commercial vessels.

The activity is considered low impact and is being undertaken in accordance with relevant Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) requirements, legislative obligations and TasPorts’ EPA approved Environmental Standard - Seabed Levelling.

EPA oversight applies to the planned port maintenance, with all relevant environmental controls and monitoring requirements being managed as part of the campaign.

This is the fourth levelling maintenance program undertaken by TasPorts at Burnie since 2022. TasPorts also undertakes routine monitoring of sediment and water quality, as required, to inform environmental management across its ports. Monitoring at Burnie was most recently completed in 2023.

No disruption to customers or port users is anticipated, with all levelling operations to be completed around commercial shipping movements.

Seabed levelling and dredging are regularly undertaken across TasPorts’ multi-port system, in line with its Long-term Dredge Management Plan.

Following completion of the levelling program, TasPorts will undertake a port-wide hydrographic survey. The survey data will be provided to the Office of the Harbour Master to inform the port’s declared depths, with further updates to be provided following completion of the seabed levelling campaign.

Separately, StraitLink has completed operational trials at Burnie’s Berth 5, where shore ramp modifications have been made to allow Tasmanian Achiever II and Victorian Reliance II to work if/when required while repairs to Berth 4 are completed.