VCRA Corio Bay Channel Safety Adjustment Program

The  Victorian  Regional  Channels  Authority  (VRCA)  is  responsible  for  the  management  of  the waterways  providing  access  for  ships  to  the  Port  of  Geelong.   The waterways generally consist of berth pockets and dredged channels.

The channels have been progressively enlarged and developed over a period of 150 years, the most recent change being a major deepening project carried out in 1996–97.

In 2014 the VRCA implemented  the  Corio  Bay  Channel  Safety Adjustment  Program  (CSAP)  to  make  minor changes  to  the  channel  alignment  and  available  water  depth  in  the  City  Bend,  known  as  Area  B.

The four proposed Channel Safety Adjustment Program dredge sites in Area B were within the designated port waters of the Port of Geelong, adjacent the existing commercial shipping channels and in close proximity to the city of Geelong and its environs.

These  changes  were intended to reduce  operational  risks  arising  from  the  increasing  size  of vessels gaining access to the port. Material  removed  from  Area  B  was placed  in  the  existing  outer  dredge  material  ground  (DMG) located east of Point Wilson.

In July 2014 Heron mobilised the Machiavelli, three tugs, a survey vessel and two 750m³ split hopper barges to Geelong from Newcastle where all equipment had been extensively overhauled.

Dredging commenced with the removal of 110,000m³ of soft silts clay from Corio Quay North 4 Berth and approach channel to a design level of 12.3m. This site was located adjacent to the berth structures at Corio Quay North Berth Nos 2 and 4, extending to Corio Channel in the east. The material was transported to an existing DMG 25 kilometres from the dredge area.

The dredge moved to City Bend and removed approximately 130,000 m³ of seabed material from four narrow sections of the inside of City Bend within the designated port waters of the Port of Geelong, and placed the material within an existing designated Dredge Material Ground (DMG) in Port Phillip Bay.