The Pilbara Ports Authority's port user guidelines and procedures did not reflect the best practice escort towage guidance detailed in the port's draft escort towage strategy and business continuity plan. The details of these improved towage practices, designed to reduce the risk of channel blockages, were also not integrated into the Port Hedland Pilots' safety management system and were, consequently, inconsistently applied by pilots.
The integration of the recommended towage allocation, practices and guidelines of the port's adopted escort towage strategy into the Port Hedland Pilots safety management system should adequately address this safety issue.
On 5 December 2024, Port Hedland Pilots advised the ATSB that the safety management system procedure covering the subject of towage requirements had been updated to direct that pilots utilise escort towage parameters and guidelines based on the latest escort towage strategy adopted by the port authority. The procedure was also updated to reflect the tug retention and utilisation guidelines of the port's escort towage strategy including specific directions to pilots on where tugs were to be released and under what conditions.
