Mind the Air Draught!”: Navigating Clearance Limits at PWCS Carrington Coal Terminal

 🚢 “Mind the Air Draught!”: Navigating Clearance Limits at PWCS Carrington Coal Terminal

❓ Are You Making These Costly Miscalculations?

• Do your loading plans consider real-time tide fluctuations at Carrington?
• Have you ever faced delays due to excessive air draught?
• Are your Master and Chartering teams aligned on port-specific restrictions?

⚖️ Clause Breakdown: Air Draught Restrictions at PWCS – What It Really Means

Carrington Coal Terminal (Port Waratah Coal Services - PWCS) operates under strict air draught limits to prevent collision with shiploaders and ensure smooth cargo operations.

Key Points:

• Maximum Air Draught = 18.5 meters at zero tide.
• Tidal Range = Between 0.4m to 2.0m.
• Vessels should plan for <17.5m air draught, ideally <16.5m for safety buffer.
• If your declared air draught in the Coal Load Plan nears these limits, loading may be delayed.
• It is the vessel’s responsibility to review actual tides before berthing and during the entire loading window.
• The air draught must remain within limits over all hatches throughout the loading operation.

⚠️ Common Pitfalls:

• Relying only on static tide tables instead of real-time tide predictions.
• Ignoring trim and list effects when calculating air draught.
• Failure to reduce ballast promptly, resulting in missed loading slots.

📚 Reference:

While there is no direct BIMCO clause, similar port-specific limitations are often covered under “Port Regulations Compliance” clauses in standard C/Ps like GENCON and NYPE. In case of delays due to non-compliance, the time may not count as laytime, or off-hire could be triggered depending on terms.

 

✅ Actionable Steps for Shipping Professionals

For Ship Operators / Masters:

1. Calculate accurate air draught before arrival using vessel-specific trim data + tide predictions.
2. Use dynamic loading calculators that factor in changes during loading across hatches.
3. Communicate proactively with Terminal/Agent for expected tide and clearance.

For Owners / Technical Managers:

1. Include air draught compliance checks in pre-arrival checklists.
2. Train seafarers on terminal-specific SOPs during briefings.
3. Confirm loading sequence accommodates air draught limits on all hatches.

For Charterers / Voyage Managers:

1. Ensure coal load plans provided to terminal reflect realistic draught limits.
2. Insert specific clauses about air draught compliance in voyage instructions.
3. Mitigate risk by checking tide tables against declared loading profile.

 

📣 Conclusion: Stay Ahead of the Tide

Air draught might seem like a technical detail, but getting it wrong at PWCS Carrington can mean costly delays, broken laytime, or worse – terminal rejections.

Double-check, trim smartly, and plan with real-time data.

💬 Have you faced air draught delays before? How did you resolve them?
👉 Comment below, like this post, and follow @ShipOpsInsights with Dattaram for more front-line insights that bridge operations and wisdom.

 

📌 Disclaimer:

This blog post is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to consult the actual Charter Party terms, Port Authority circulars, and their company’s technical teams for operational decision-making.