AW Maritime was engaged by SMC to deliver the detailed design for the upgrade of Breasting Dolphin 6. The dolphin is located between Dyke 1 and Dyke 2 on the western bank of the Hunter River in the Port of Newcastle, NSW. The scope of the upgrade focused on enhancing the mooring capacity of the dolphin through the installation of additional mooring bollards to accommodate increased vessel demands. As part of the project, AW Maritime carried out a detailed mooring analysis to evaluate the existing performance and structural limitations of Dolphin 6. This involved assessing berthing forces, mooring line arrangements, and load distributions under various operational scenarios.
Based on the analysis findings, AWM proposed the installation of three new 80-tonne mooring bollards, strategically positioned on the deck of Dolphin 6 to optimise load transfer and ensure effective mooring of vessels. The design aimed to enhance the structural resilience and operational flexibility of the dolphin while minimising impacts on current port operations.
(credit to COGG Construction Pty Ltd for the photo)