Port Procedures and Information for Shipping – Cape Flattery, Cooktown and Port Douglas

Cape Flattery is situated 29 miles north of Cooktown. The port has been established solely for the export of silica sand from Cape Flattery Silica Mines Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Corporation.

The mine is the largest exporter of silica sand in the world. The port has a single berth serviced by a travelling ship loader for the export of sand.

Cooktown is situated about 91 nautical miles north of Cairns and is the most northerly port on the east coast of Australia. Today it is known as a community port, managed by the Far North Queensland Ports Corporation (Ports North) and is used mainly by fishing vessels, small passenger vessels and recreational craft.

Port Douglas is situated about 30 nautical miles north of Cairns and is mainly used by fishing boats, recreational boats and tourist vessels that visit the islands and Great Barrier Reef. It is a small natural harbour behind Island Point, within the confines of Dickson Inlet. Port Douglas has a number of fishing wharves, 2 marinas and provides refuge for anchored or moored vessels upstream.

This document has also been split into sections for easy download.

• Table of contents 
• Section 1 – Introduction 
• Section 2 – Arrival and departure procedures 
• Section 3 – Movement notification and traffic procedures
• Section 4 – Port description
• Section 5 – Port infrastructure
• Section 6 – Weather information 
• Section 7 – Port navigation and movement restrictions
• Section 8 – Pilotage
• Section 9 – Tugs
• Section 10 – Work permits
• Section 11 – Dangerous cargo
• Section 12 – Port safety
• Section 13 – Security
• Section 14 – Port state control inspections 
• Section 15 – Port services 
• Section 16 – Appendices
  • 16.1 Port of Cape Flattery Pilotage Area
  • 16.2 Port of Cape Flattery
  • 16.3 Pilotage plan – Port of Cape Flattery
  • 16.4 Final approach and anchor drop position – Cape Flattery
  • 16.5 Moorings – Cape Flattery
  • 16.6 Port of Cape Flattery – pilot boarding ground
  • 16.7 Port of Cooktown
  • 16.8 Cooktown pilotage area
  • 16.9 Pilotage plan - Cooktown
  • 16.10 Port of Port Douglas
  • 16.11 Port Douglas pilotage area
  • 16.12 Pilotage plan – Port Douglas

Contact information

• Regional Harbour Master (Cairns)
  Phone: +61 7 4052 7400^z
  Fax: +61 7 4052 7427^w
  Email: RHMCairns@msq.qld.gov.au
• Port control
  Phone: +61 7 4052 7470^z
  Fax: +61 7 4052 7460^w
  Email: vtscairns@msq.qld.gov.au
• Far North Queensland Ports Corporation
  Phone: +61 7 3224 7426^z
  Fax: +61 7 3224 7234^w
• Department of Agriculture    
• Customs
• Bureau of Meteorology