Prior to Arrival

All vessels under the conduct of a licensed Pilot or exempt Master are required to briefly test their thrusters (if equipped) and engines astern before entering Port limits.

The Port Corporation will accept testing of the ships main engines astern within 24 hours of their arrival at Sydney or Port Botany provided such testing can be supported by a main engine data logger readout.

Standard time in New South Wales (known as Eastern Standard Time) is 10 hours in advance of Coordinated Universal Time.

Masters should confirm the local time with their agent prior to advising the ETA. Due to daylight savings, local time in Sydney can differ from Brisbane during the summer months. 

Start and Finish of Daylight Saving in NSW

Daylight saving begins at 2 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on the last Sunday in October and ends at 3 a.m. summer time on the last Sunday in March. During daylight saving, summer time in New South Wales is one hour in advance of New South Wales standard time.

Therefore, at 2 a.m. standard time on the last Sunday in October clocks are put forward one hour- the time then becomes 3 a.m. summer time. At 3 a.m. summer time on the last Sunday in March clocks are put back one hour- the time then becomes 2 a.m. standard time.

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Navigating to Sydney Harbour

Latitude: 33O 50' South;

Longitude: 151O 22' East.

References: Admiralty Sailing Directions: "Australia Pilot VOL II, 7th Edition 1999; NSW Coast, 10th Edition 1983; Port Procedures Guide for Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay

Charts: Approaches Port Jackson - AUS 197; Port Jackson - AUS200; Sydney Harbour - AUS201, 202, 203.

Port Limit: The arc of a circle four nautical miles radius from Hornsby Light situated on South Head.

Navigating to Botany Bay

Latitude: 34O 01' South;

Longitude: 151O 19' East.

References: Admiralty Sailing Directions: "Australia Pilot VOL II, 7th Edition 1999; NSW Coast, 10th Edition 1983; Port Procedures Guide for Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay

Charts: Approaches Botany Bay and Port Hacking - AUS198; Botany Bay - AUS199.

Port Limit: The arc of a circle four nautical miles radius from Cape Banks.

Adverse Weather

Masters shall at all times ensure their vessels are properly secured. During periods of adverse weather additional lines should be run and sufficient crew should be on standby for the vessel to proceed to sea if required. Weather warnings are broadcast by Harbour Control on VHF Channel 13.

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