Port of Eden

The Port of Eden is a small seaport in Twofold Bay adjacent to the town of Eden on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia. The bay was first charted by explorer George Bass in 1797 [Miriam Estensen, "The Life of George Bass", Allen and Unwin, 2005, ISBN 1-74114-130-3, page 82] and has been used for commercial whaling and fishing since the 1840's.

From the 1850s to 1950s the port was serviced by steamship companies, including the Illawarra Steam Navigation Company.

Industries

The port is a principal export point for timber products, with a trade throughput of more than one million tonnes a year.cite web| title=Port of Eden| publisher=NSW Maritime| year=2007| url=http://www.eden.nsw.gov.au/| accessdate=2008-02-04] Each year approximately 800,000 tonnes of woodchips are exported to south-east Asia via the port, as well as 60,000 mass tonnes of softwood timber to Japan and Korea.cite web| title=New Cargo Facility Official Opening| publisher=NSW Maritime| month=April| year=2006| url=http://www.eden.nsw.gov.au/mediarelease.html| accessdate=2008-02-04] Woodchip storage and packaging facilities were constructed by Harris Daishowa in 1971.

Fishing

A substantial fishing fleet also operates from the port and from Snug Cove. Minor port uses include import and export services for the towns of Eden Bega, Bombala and Cooma, and as a stopover for national and international cruise ships.cite web| title=Cruise the Garden of Eden| publisher=Sapphire Coast Tourism| year=2007| url=http://www.sapphirecoast.com.au/edencruise/portinfo.htm| accessdate=2008-02-04] In 1960 Mobil constructed a dedicated wharf, tanks and plant for small-scale petroleum imports and distribution to southern New South Wales.

An average of 70 commercial vessels visit the Port of Eden each year. Civilian shipping movements in the port are regulated by a harbour master appointed by NSW Maritime.

The port is also shared with the Department of Defence and services approximately 40 Naval ships a year. The Navy facility consists of a wharf, an access jetty and road, and a land-based munitions store 15 kilometres from the bay and surrounded by a 100 hectare exclusion zone.

Facilities

The port consists of two commercial shipping wharves, the Mobil petroleum wharf, a cargo storage area and ancillary facilities.

The Breakwater Wharf caters for the timber industry, the fishing fleet and cruise shipping. Wharf length is 105 metres with depths ranging from three metres to the landward end and 8.8 metres seaward, with a tidal variation of two metres. The wharf itself is concrete with rubber fending.

In 2003 a multi-purpose wharf and munitions facility was constructed to expand naval repair and refit operations and increase the port's timber export capacity by 150,000 tonnes. Wharf length is 200 metres, accessed via a 560 metre timber jetty. Berthing depth is 12 metres but maximum vessel raft is restricted by a low-water fairway depth of 11 metres.

The common-user cargo storage area covers 10 hectares with a gravel surface and sealed internal roads. Storage capacity is estimated to reach 500,000 tonnes in 2010/11.

References