This section outlines the regulatory and procedural frameword of pilotage operations at Port Marlborough, and defines all standard routes and manoeuvres for piloted vessels and pilot exempt vessels. Here you will find detailed specifications for all berths and all other port infrastructure relevant to piloted vessels.
There are two passages for entry to Picton, Queen Charlotte Sound and Tory Channel. Both are compulsory pilotage areas as defined in NZ Maritime Rule Part 90.
Pilotage is compulsory for all vessels > 500 GRT. For vessels transitting Queen Charlotte Sound, pilots transfer via pilot boat at or near Position Alpha: 41 04.620 S 174 18.920 E.
Pilotage is compulsory for all vessels > 350 GRT. Tory Channel Pilotage is currently suspended for all vessels (April 2020) except Cook Strait Ferries operating with Pilotage Exemption Certificates.
Port Marlborough Standard Operating Procedures for Pilotage Operations categorises three classes of vessel:
There is one charted waiting anchorage for A, B & C class vessels outside the pilotage limit located at Cloudy Bay,
The Cloudy Bay anchorages are in four positions: The central positions of each area are:
1 = 41°26.8844’S 174°11.2454’E
2 = 41°28.2791’S 174°09.1634’E
3 = 41°25.5724’S 174°09.1084’E
4 = 41°26.9416’S 174°06.9493’E
Permission must be obtained from the Harbour Master prior to anchoring in Cloudy Bay.
There are two further waiting anchorages for A, B & C class vessels within Queen Charlotte Sound that may be accessed with a pilot on board. They are: No.1 Anchorage position: 41 14.878 S 174 01.118 E No.2 Anchorage position: 41 13.640 S 174 05.300 E
The following additional anchorages for C class vessels may be accessed with a pilot on board: Ship Cove position: 41 05.617 S 174 14.665 E Resolution Bay position: 41 07.480 S 174 13.310 E Torea Bay position: 41 13.122 S 174 01.886 E Picton quarantine anchorage position: 41 16.148 S 174 00.590 E (limited to 135m LOA)
Requests for pilots and tugs must be made to the Pilots Office as early as possible, at least 24 hours in advance of the vessels ETA at the pilot boarding area with information outlined below.
Prior to acceptance or booking, an A, B or C class cargo or passenger vessel arriving for the first time and wishing to transit Queen Charlotte Sound should provide the Pilots Office with the following information:
In addition to the above, prior to acceptance or booking, an A class cargo or passenger vessel > 200m LOA, arriving for the first time via Queen Charlotte Sound should provide the Pilots Office with the following information:
Please refer to General Pilotage Information for definitions of vessel classes.
Revised ETA’s should be passed to the Pilots Office and Picton Harbour Radio until just prior to arrival at the pilot boarding area.
After acceptance and booking, and at least 24 hours prior to arrival, the Pilots Office will send the vessel a pilotage plan comprising:
All data from the Route Plan must be entered into the ECDIS prior to arrival at the pilot boarding area.
Operational limits for vessels transitting Queen Charlotte Sound and Tory Channel are defined by Port Marlborough Standard Operating Procedures for Pilotage Operations and Marlborough District Council Navigation Bylaw 2009.
For vessels transitting Queen Charlotte Sound, pilots transfer via pilot boat at or near Position Alpha 41 04.620S, 174 18.920 E.
For arriving vessels, detailed instructions for ladder arrangemnts and boarding will be given 1 hour prior to the vessels ETA via VHF Ch 18. Further instructions will be given on VHF Ch 18 by the pilot or launchmaster immediately prior to transfer. VHF Ch 08 may be used as an alternative working channel for pilot transfers.
Transfers will normally be conducted by the pilot vessel Endeavour at a maximum speed of 8 knots with the bottom rung of the pilot ladder rigged 1.5m above the water.
The pilot vessel Endeavour, pictured below, has a cruising speed of 17 knots and a maximum speed of 26 knots.
For full pilot vessel specifications, please follow this link: Full vessel specifications
Port Marlborough requires all pilot transfer arrangements to be compliant with IMO Resolution A.1045(27), SOLAS Chapter V, and NZ Maritime Rule Part 53.
Port Marlborough Harbour Tugs Port Marlborough owns and operates three harbour tugs. Working channels : VHF Channel 08, 18, 11 (back up)
Kaiana is a 50 ton bollard pull Damen 21-11 Azimuth Stern Drive Harbour Tug.
Propulsion units are aft with a winch capable of towing over the bow or stern. Kaiana’s main tow line is a 159t (MBL) 80mm braided line connected to a 20 metre long 204t (MBL) 52mm pennant. Download Kaiana’s Vessel Information Here
Maungatea is a 28t bollard pull azimuth tractor tug. Propulsion units are forward with a tow winch over the stern. The tow rope is a Fusion-12 tow rope with an ISO strength of 106 MT which can be varied up to 100m length.
Download Maungatea’s vessel information here
Monowai is a 28t bollard pull Voith Schneider tractor tug. Propulsion units are forward with a fixed tow line over the stern. There are 3 tow line lengths available 17m, 20m and 60 m. Each fixed line is made of Amsteel Blue, 40mm 12 stranded line with an ISO strength of 205 MT.
Download Monowai’s vessel information here
Tug Orders
Pilotage plans for Queen Charlotte Sound and Tory Channel Pilotage areas will be sent by the Pilots office directly to an arriving vessel at least 24 hours prior to arrival.
The Pilotage Plan will comprise:
There are total of 24 Standard routes for the Queen Charlotte Sound pilotage areas.
For standard Routes including waypoints tables please see below or contact our marine team by email on pilots@pmnz.co.nz
9Route 9. Resolution Bay to Ship CovePDF10Route 10. No.1 Anchorage to Shakespeare BayPDF11Route 11. No.2 Anchorage to Shakespeare BayPDF12Route 12. No.1 Anchorage to Picton HarbourPDF13Route 13. No.2 Anchorage to Picton HarbourPDF14Route 14. Northern Entrance to Endeavour InletPDF15Route 15. Northern Entrance to Bay of Many CovesPDF16Route 16. Endeavour Inlet to Picton HarbourPDF17Route 14. Northern Entrance to Endeavour InletPDF18Route 18. Northern Entrance to Torea BayPDF19Route 19. Torea Bay to Picton HarbourPDF20Route 20. Bay of Many Coves to Picton HarbourPDF21Route 21. Northern Entrance to Shakespeare Bay via East ChannelPDF22Tory Channel to Picton HarbourUnavailable23Tory Channel to Shakespeare BayUnavailable24Tory Channel to Northern EntranceUnavailable25Route 25. Ship Cove to Picton HarbourPDF26Route 26. Ship Cove to Momorangi Bay via No.2 AnchoragePDF27Route 27. Momorangi Bay to Picton HarbourPDF
Further detailed information on radar ranges and bearings, radar PI’s, visual navigation marks and wheel over positions for each standard route are also available on request.
Standard manoeuvres on and off each berth are listed below with pdf diagrams that can be downlaoded.
Towage details for each manoeuvre will vary with vessel type and the conditions of the day. These will be discussed and agreed with the bridge team during the information exchange after pilot boarding.
Clearing distances and the proximity to other vessels will be discussed and agreed with the bridge team during the information exchange after pilot boarding.
There are two commercial wharves available for compulsory pilotage vessels, Waimahara Wharf (in Shakespeare Bay) and Waitohi Wharf (in Picton Harbour).
Waimahara Wharf is designed as a multi- purpose berth and is predominantly used for log exports and as a berth for large cruise ships.
380m x 40m x 15.0m
Waitohi Wharf is a general-purpose finger wharf predominantly used by roll on-roll off vessels, small cruise ships, fishing and cement vessels.
The plan shows the layout and SWL of all mooring bollards and the most recent soundings for the berth pocket,
WAIMAHARA WHARF – 1 METRE CONTOUR SPACING AND MOORING CAPACITY
WAITOHI WHARF – 1 METRE CONTOUR SPACING AND MOORING CAPACITY
