Pilbara Ports Authority (PPA) has released a new Marine Notice outlining mandatory requirements for all LNG, alternate-fuel, and dual-fuelled vessels operating at the Port of Ashburton.
The notice sets out detailed compliance measures aimed at ensuring safe and reliable port operations amid growing traffic from modern fuel-powered ships. The directive requires vessel operators, agents, and terminals to submit a comprehensive set of documents to the PPA Marine team well in advance of a vessel’s first arrival.
This includes critical information such as the vessel’s terminal and estimated time of arrival (ETA), general and mooring arrangement plans, crew competency records, and detailed photographic documentation of key operational areas like the bridge, main deck, engine room, and LNG tanks.
Port requirements
For an LNG / Alternate / Dual Fuelled Vessel visiting the Port, the vessel operators shall provide the following information to the PPA Marine team in adequate time prior to the vessel’s first arrival:
- Terminal and ETA
- General Arrangement plan (GA plan)
- Mooring arrangement plan
- Crew Competency list (including details of licenses and training for LNG / dual fuel operation)
- Ship’s particulars
- Photographs (bridge equipment, main deck, engine room, LNG tanks, and mooring stations)
- HAZID / HAZOP report
- Sea and gas trial documents
For vessels with Dual Fuelled systems, PPA requires the following conditions to be followed when operating in Port waters:
- The main engine must be changed over to LSFO / MGO in sufficient time to ensure stability of operations before entering the port.
- Auxiliary engines and boiler may run on LNG or alternate fuel, provided the system can be immediately changed over to LSFO / MGO without any impact on the operation, reliability, or efficiency of the auxiliary engines or boiler.
The notice applies universally to all LNG/alternate/dual-fuelled ships visiting the port for the first time, regardless of whether they intend to operate in alternative fuel mode. Vessels that have previously called at Ashburton must also resubmit this information unless it is already on file with the PPA.
Importantly, the new requirements do not apply to LNG carriers that use LNG as fuel, providing a key exemption in the updated policy.
