June 25, 2015
It’s Tugs and Capes All Day, Every Day
Navigating a Capesize vessel takes incredible skill. The channel of Port Hedland is only 14.8 meters deep and 183 meters wide at its narrowest point. Pilbara Ports Authority reports that vessel departures occur at 30 minute intervals and that it’s not uncommon for five to seven capesized vessels to navigate the area at once. Therefore, ensuring smooth operations in the iron ore supply chain is no easy task.
Here are three videos that showcase the work of experienced seafarers, pilots and tug operators – and Teekay is involved, of course!
Teekay Australia’s tug fleet play a pivotal role in the port logistics. Here’s a short video put together by Pilbara Ports, on maintaining channel integrity in Port Hedland harbor – a couple of the Teekay Australia team are featured. On the other hand, Port Hedland’s claim to fame is that it is the largest iron ore loading ports in the world. Mark Thomas, who oversees Teekay’s tug operations in Port Hedland, has the inside scoop in this video.
In 2012, one of Teekay’s favorite photographers, Rob Puttnam (@rob_puttman) filmed a neat time lapse video of the MV Iron Yandi arriving and departing Port Hedland in Western Australia.