Ship Operators

New South Wales is privileged to have several of the most popular ports in the world for small recreational vessels. Six of these recreational waterways are deep-water ports and therefore they also support substantial commercial activity.  Masters of vessels using these ports all need to have a solid understanding of the requirements and limitations of others so that everyone can share and make best use of the waterways.

When the temperature is moderate and seas smooth, masters of ships embarking on harbour passages should be prepared to encounter a greater number of recreational vessels inside port limits. These vessels often flow from the harbour entrance out into the outer port limits; greater vigilance will be required at these times and in these areas. When a marine pilot is embarked the ship’s crew may need to diligently assist the pilot and master with collision control management.

The courses and speed of small vessels are often erratic, and their masters may demonstrate a less than ideal appreciation for  water traffic rules . Small vessel masters can view other small vessels as their primary focus for collision avoidance decision making, since the position course and speed of larger vessels are known and predictable. However, this is shallow comfort for the master and pilot in a large vessel who are also engaged in making these decisions. Few recreational boaters will fully understand:

• a ship’s rate of turn,
• deceleration data,
• manoeuvring requirements while embarking a pilot,
• extent of a ship’s shadow diagram (or blind distance),
• draught in relation to available depth and width of safe water, or
• the proper meaning of flags, shapes and additional lights.

Caution and extreme vigilance are required in and near port waters. Nevertheless, there are many very experienced recreational and small vessel mariners on New South Wales waterways who will appreciate the requirements of larger ships and whose unselfish actions will provide for the safe passage of all vessels.