Summary
SUMMARY
The Port of Townsville is not a tropical cyclone haven. The small man-made harbor is exposed and vulnerable to winds and storm surge. The Townsville Port Authority will order all ships at the port to put to sea whenever Condition of Readiness RED (tropical cyclone strike is imminent) is set.
The Port has 10 berths, but some are specific use facilities. Consequently, only six of the berths are likely candidates for mooring a U.S. Navy vessel. Some of the pilings supporting the pier decks have suffered worm damage near the water line. Although the vertical strength of the pilings is considered by the port to be adequate, the use of camels to moor a ship is discouraged due to the possible collapse of the pilings if excessive lateral forces would be exerted on them by a ship being blown onto its berth.
The Entrance Channel for the Port of Townsville begins approximately 6.4 nmi north-northeast of the harbor entrance. The channel is 302 ft (92 m) wide, with a depth of 38.4 ft (11.7 m). Depths bordering the channel on both sides gradually shoal from its seaward end, becoming less than 16.4 ft (5 m) for the last mile of its approach to the Port. The use of a Harbor Pilot is required.
Anchorage may be taken in Cleveland Bay in any location. Vessels commonly anchor east of the north end of the Entrance Channel. Vessels so anchoring should stay clear of the line of the Sea Channel and Platypus Channel. Because Cleveland Bay is open and vulnerable to north and northeasterly winds and seas, any location in the Bay would be untenable in a tropical cyclone threat scenario.
It is the recommendation of this evaluation that all U.S. Navy ships sortie from the Port whenever Townsville is threatened by a tropical cyclone, and not wait to be ordered to put to sea.
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This hurricane haven evaluation was prepared by
R. Gilmore and R. E. Englebretson of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Monterey, CA. and S. Brand of Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, CA.
Source: http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/port_studies/thh-nc/australi/townsvil/text/summary.htm
