Port of Newcastle Welcomes Its Largest Fuel Tanker

Australia’s Port of Newcastle hosted the largest fuel tanker in its 220 years of commercial operations on March 18.

The 244-metre LR2 tanker, Pro Alliance, berthed at Stolthaven’s bulk liquids terminal Mayfield 7, marking the culmination of a significant investment in Newcastle. The milestone follows the arrival of the port’s first LR1 tanker in early January.

Receiving vessels of this size was made possible following a four-year collaborative project between Stolthaven, Port of Newcastle, Port Authority of NSW and Svitzer to expand channel capacity and accommodate deep-draft inbound tankers up to 245 metres LOA.

The project partners committed to increasing the port’s capacity through a number of activities, including detailed channel simulation investigations, adding active escort tug capability to the port’s fleet and the development of a dynamic under-keel clearance system (DUKC) for deep draft inbound ships to complement the existing outbound DUKC system.

“In our 220th year of commercial shipping, milestones such as this signify the evolving role of the port in facilitating global trade through our harbour and driving growth in the regional, state and national economies,” Keith Wilks, Port of Newcastle Executive Manager Marine and Operations, said.