Broome abuzz with Ichthys activity

Casing being loaded aboard the Far Seeker from Port of Broome wharf.

A community newsletter from the Kimberley Ports AuthorityJULY 2017

Welcome

commissioning phase will employ up to 2,000 workers who will be accommodated in two floating hotels (Jascon 25 and Floatel Triumph) located in the field.

The two facilities will be supported by a number of vessels in the gas field. When the support vessels are in Port, KPA provides stevedores to help the crews with the loading of supplies.

It is expected the Port will host 15 vessel visits per month during the commissioning phase of the project. The Port also expects 12 visits a month (for up to two years) from drilling support vessels.

The Ichthys LNG Project will make INPEX the biggest user of the Port of Broome in 2017. The Port is serving as a support logistics hub to service the drilling campaign, transport workers to offshore facilities, as well as supply construction and installation vessels.

More than 35 local Broome businesses have been involved with activities that support the project and INPEX has also become the biggest user of Broome International Airport heliport as it serves as a transit point for workers who then travel by helicopter to the offshore facilities.

As work intensifies on the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Project, more support vessels are calling into the Port of Broome.

The world’s largest semi-submersible platform has arrived in the Browse Basin and KPA is gearing up to assist in servicing the platform from the Port of Broome.

The 120,000 tonne, 130m long and 120m wide Ichthys Explorer is a central processing facility and arrived at the Ichthys gas field in May after being towed 5,600km from the South Korean shipyard where it was built.

The Explorer, which will remain in operation for 40 years, will be joined by the 336m long Ichthys Venturer (floating production storage and off-loading facility), which is currently being towed from South Korea to the Ichthys field located 450km north of Broome. The Explorer will do the initial processing of all fluids delivered from a 130km network of subsea well infrastructure and deliver natural gas through an 890km subsea pipeline to the onshore processing facilities near Darwin. Most condensate will be processed through Venturer and shipped directly to market from the field.

Once both offshore facilities are safely moored in 250m-deep waters, the hook-up and

As visitors flock to the town to enjoy the dry season, activity at the Port of Broome kicks into high gear as new facilities arrive in the Browse Basin and the cruise ship and cattle seasons hit a peak.

KPA has welcomed the Ichthys Explorer to the Browse Basin oil and gas field to support INPEX’s LNG project. The Explorer will be joined by the Ichthys Venturer, a floating production storage and off-loading facility. During the commissioning phase of the project, the Port will have up to 15 vessels visiting a month and, once exploration activities commence, we expect the Port will see 12 vessel visits a month.

We’re also keeping busy with the export of cattle from Broome. The cattle season, while slow to start, has seen nine vessels visit to the end of June with almost 32,500 head being exported to Vietnam and Indonesia. We’re on track to see 100,000 head exported this season, which is a great reflection on the industry we’re pleased to support.

The cruise ship industry is also an important part of our business and the local economy, so KPA has joined a number of local businesses to form Cruise Broome, with the aim of increasing cruise ship visits to the town, and the initiatives are having a positive impact.

We hope you enjoy reading about this and more in our latest edition of Navigator.

Laurie ShervingtonChair, Kimberley Ports Authority

Broome Volunteer Sea Rescue Group’s new HQ is complete.

Located at Entrance Point, the new HQ was more than a decade in the planning and made possible by KPA providing the land with a peppercorn lease of just $1 (with the approval of the Minister for Transport). The project would not have been possible without the strong support of Nyamba Buru Yawuru.

The new building is the culmination of almost 14 years’ hard work from several Commanders and literally dozens of past and present members, said BVSRG Commander Brett Winfield.

“It has truly been a team effort over many years. The contributions of members towards securing

a lease, design of the structure, fundraising and overseeing construction has been immense.”

The Federal Government provided $500,000 to help the Group relocate from DFES House closer to the ocean. The State Government and Lotterywest were also major financial contributors to the project.

Broome Volunteer Sea Rescue Group was formed in 1996 and provides high-quality rescue services to the recreational and commercial maritime community of Broome.

In June the Group made the long-awaited move into their new purpose designed and built HQ. An official opening is planned for September.

A graduation giftTrainee of the Year got more than the title – taking home a gift from KPA.

KPA was delighted to provide a $200 voucher for North Regional TAFE’s 2016 Trainee of the Year – Amethyst Armitage-Chrystal.

Broome local Amethyst took out the prestigious title at the student graduation ceremony held in March. More than 100 students from across the Kimberley gathered at the Cable Beach Club where the honours for the top graduates were announced.

Awards were provided for the outstanding student from each town (Broome, Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing, Kununurra, Wyndham and Derby) as well as for Trainee, Apprentice, VET in Schools and ASTI students of the year.

Kim Pucci received his 20-year anniversary gift from Scott Baker and CEO Kevin Schellack.

Meet our people: Kim Pucci, Irregular Shift Worker

Depending on the shipping demands and maintenance needs at the Port, he steps in.

So it’s no surprise that Kim knows his way around the Port. He’s been a permanent fixture at Broome for 20 years – and was a wharfie at Wyndham before that and stevedored at Broome intermittently.

In 1996 Kim made the move down the Kimberley coast and joined the predecessor to KPA. At that time there were only three office staff and four wharfies at the Port of Broome; today there are 63 staff.

It’s fair to say he’s seen a lot of changes at the Port and in Broome over the years and has great stories to tell. Kim fondly remembers days gone by when cars actually parked along the wharf neck and people would get out their deck chairs and fish. It took a lot of manoeuvring to deploy the crane onto the crowded wharf, but being a keen fisherman himself, Kim didn’t mind so much!

When he’s not casting out a line, Kim can be found in his garden – he’s well known for the huge mangoes he grows – or further afield where he loves to get out his metal detector and prospect.

After 20 years at the Port of Broome, Kim Pucci has seen it all – and turned his hand to everything.

Kim’s job title may be Irregular Shift Worker, but it belies the fact he is a jack-of-all-trades, capably turning his hand to all manner of tasks from electrical work (he got his trade certificate working at Wyndham Meatworks back in the day) to crane and forklift operation, and lugging ropes with the mooring gang.

KPA Commercial Manager Sean Mullhall was on hand at the graduation ceremony to present Amethyst Armitage-Chrystal with her Trainee of the Year award.

Ahoy there Sea Rescue!

ON A ROLLFour days, 660kms and $450,000 raised for the RFDS.

In recognition of the incredible work that the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) does in the community, KPA was proud to be a team sponsor in the 2017 Gibb Challenge.

KPA provided $1,000 in sponsorship for the RFDS Challenge Team who took part in the epic ride.

The annual competitive team relay cycling challenge along the Gibb River Road from Derby to Kununurra was held over four days at the end of May and saw enthusiastic cyclists hit the road in support of the RFDS. It was the third year that the RFDS had been the principal beneficiary of the fundraiser (which has been raising awareness and money for charities since 2008) – taking the total funds raised for the Doctor to over $1 million.

Every year the RFDS assists more than 27,000 people through aerial medical retrievals (flying more than 9,000 patients across the state) and primary healthcare clinics, while a further 37,600 people rely on its telehealth service. The RFDS bases in Broome and Derby are always busy, serving the needs of patients throughout the Kimberley.

Broome Volunteer Sea Rescue Group has begun training and administration activities from their new base.

Taking safety to HEARTWith the number of proactive safety actions more than doubling, KPA’s safety culture program is a winner.

Designed to empower employees to take a proactive approach to safety and promote continual improvement to workplace safety, the program is helping KPA meet its commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace where there are zero injuries.

“Our safety culture program is encouraging more employees to take part in our safety initiatives and also ensuring that safety remains a priority in all of KPA’s planning, decision-making and operations,” explained Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Manager Veronica Mair.

At the heart of KPA’s HSE commitments are five pillars:

1. Health and safety is the primary consideration in every facet of our business

2. Explore and champion new safety initiatives that will improve safety for all employees and challenge traditional thinking in order to find new and safer ways to operate

3. Always keep within our legislative obligations to minimise harm to the environment and ensure all incidents are reported and acted upon

4. Relentlessly pursue a safer and healthier workplace and be uncompromising with those who are unwilling to commit

5. Transparent and consultative with our colleagues and partners on all matters relating to health and safety

A number of initiatives have been implemented as part of the program including 12 new safety rules, safety culture workshops, pocket safety toolkits and safety KPIs added to performance reviews.

“Since the program started, the reporting of positive safety observations, which includes safety conversations and positive safe acts undertaken by employees, has more than doubled. Our people are really embracing safety and this is flowing through to our interactions with Port users. So it’s a win–win for everyone,” Veronica said.

On show @ Careers Expo

KPA’s CEO, Harbourmaster, HSE Manager and stevedores with their HSE toolkits. The pocket-size toolkit includes details on KPA’s HSE commitments and safety rules, emergency contact details, the step-back process card and a St John Ambulance first aid card.

Broome Senior High School students chat with KPA’s Kim Pucci.

The first 180m of the Port of Broome walkway is set to re-open in late August.

“The first 180m of the walkway, plus the transition, have been removed and old cleats are being replaced to prepare for the next stage of the refurbishment, which involves 9m-long modules being installed,” explained Engineer Scott Baker.

“Protective coatings will also be applied to the walkway support outriggers and cleats before the walkway modules, which are being fabricated, are put in place.”

Work is progressing on fitting the new walkway modules onto the outriggers (from

the wharf abutment outwards, parallel to the wharf neck). As further work on the sections is completed, the walkway will re-open incrementally. The first 180m should re-open in late August, enabling recreational fishing during mid to high tides.

The repair works to the entire wharf public walkway will cost around $1 million, improve safety and extend the useful life of the structure for up to 10 years.

KPA reminds visitors that, for their safety, they should not attempt to access the area under the wharf neck as works are being progressed and the underdeck trolley system is being used for the welding and painting activities.

Walkway update

Students flock to find out about careers at the Port.

There was no shortage of students visiting the KPA stand at this year’s Broome Careers Expo in May.

Students from Broome Senior High School (where the event was held in the auditorium), St Mary’s College and Derby District High School had the opportunity to meet with representatives from a number of industries to find out about the various careers on offer in the Kimberley.

With representatives from across KPA’s operations – Mal Gower (Operations Supervisor), Paul Taylor (HSE Officer), Keryl Lawford (Administration), Robin Hajinoor (Stevedore) and Kim Pucci (Stevedore and Electrician) – the team showed how working at the Port of Broome presented opportunities for people with various skill sets.

Armed with handouts about the different career paths at the Port, maps and caps (giveaways are always popular with the students!), the team chatted to the teens and answered questions about employment with KPA. KPA was joined by another 32 exhibitors including government agencies, resources companies and community-based groups which all had booths at the Expo designed to inspire students to want to work locally and connect them with future employers.

Defending against invasions

The monitoring arrays are retrieved from under the Port of Broome wharf.

Yawuru rangers are assisting KPA with biosecurity monitoring.

KPA has been working with the Department of Fisheries since 2014 to monitor Port of Broome waters for invasive marine species. As part of the current State Wide Array Surveillance Program (SWASP), KPA deploys monitoring arrays under the wharf and undertakes shoreline searches.

Recently, indigenous rangers throughout the Kimberley took part in workshops held by Fisheries to help raise awareness about biosecurity. The rangers were also given practical advice on what to do if a suspected pest, disease or fish kill is seen or found.

Yawuru rangers attending the Broome workshop helped KPA in retrieving monitoring arrays at the Port and then labelled and processed the samples. The arrays work by soaking in the water under the wharf for two months before they are retrieved and the plates removed and sent to Fisheries’ labs for analysis for invasive marine pests.

Worldwide, invasive species are second only to habitat loss as the main threat to biodiversity in the environment. Aquatic pests and disease are a significant threat to WA’s oceans and waterways and can have significant negative economic, environmental,

social, cultural and human health risks. Once a pest or disease is well established it is almost impossible to eradicate – making prevention and early detection a priority.

KPA teams up with Cruise Broome to beckon ships to the Port of Broome.

The cruise industry provides big opportunities for the Broome community – this year alone cruise ship visits are expected to contribute $6.1 million to the local economy and cruising is fast becoming the biggest source of tourism in Broome.

Some 13 large cruise ships are expected to call into Broome during 2017, with thousands of passengers coming ashore when the ships berth at the wharf.

Cruise Broome is working to make Broome the port of choice for cruise ships coming to Australia and encouraging passengers to return to the town by offering unique and memorable experiences. One of the ways they do this is by aligning events in town with cruise ship arrivals.

When cruise ship passengers disembark at the Port they can hop on a courtesy bus and travel into Chinatown where they are welcomed and assisted by the Cruise Broome volunteer team. Passengers can wander through Chinatown and the cruise ship market stalls, pick-up a brochure, book a tour with the Broome Visitor Centre, or go for a ride in a pedicab to the famous Matso’s brewery.

The Port of Broome plays a crucial role in the local cruise industry, with all the ships berthing and passengers disembarking on the recently refurbished wharf.

“One of the keys to helping Broome become a leading cruise destination is ensuring the Port is able to meet both the demands of the cruise lines and the expectations of passengers,” explained Commercial Manager Sean Mullhall.

“So we are working towards improving Port of Broome facilities, both wharf-side and land-side.”

L-R: Gerard Petrov, Shayne Murray (Cruise Broome Chair), James Brown, Kim Briggs (Cruise Broome Coordinator), Sean Mulhall (KPA Commercial Manager) and David Galwey.

Improvements already completed include the beautification of the Port entry and the decoration of shipping containers used to support passenger access.

KPA’s Marine team has also been working on how to improve the range of times that cruise ships can access the wharf. Options such as channel works and the acquisition of a large floating pontoon to make it easier for cruise ships to use tenders to access the wharf facilities are being considered. The design and construction of an all-tide gangway is already under way to assist disembarking passengers.

Have you herd? 100,000 head of cattle to be exported from Broome this season.

The 2017 live cattle exports are under way and KPA is preparing for a bumper season.

Last season 97,000 head of cattle were loaded at the Port of Broome. The 24 ships loaded were headed to Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.

This year 100,000 head of cattle are expected to be loaded for export between April and November.

Just cruisin’