MARITIME SAFETY QUEENSLAND has advised Brisbane port users a significant swell event is forecast to start to impact shipping movements from tomorrow and into the early part of next week.
Accordingly MSQ is suspending pilot transfers at Mooloolaba between 0001 and 0400 tomorrow morning, due to unsafe conditions over low water at the Mooloolah River Bar. Similar restrictions on transfers are likely to be in place for a number of days.
All vessels over 11.0m draft will be required to supply NCOS data. Swell height is forecast to increase significantly from Saturday. NCOS Windows are starting to close and indications are that most NCOS windows will be lost from Saturday until at least early next week.
MSQ says it is also closely monitoring the path of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. “Further advice will be issued should the high winds associated with the system threaten Brisbane. In the meantime we will work to ensure the port is prepared for all eventualities,” MSQ said.
In the Bureau of Meteorology’s tropical cyclone information bulletin, issued at 1038 today [27 February] Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred (Category 3) with central pressure 968 hPa was located over the Coral Sea near latitude 16.8 south longitude 155.4 east, which is about 810 km northeast of Mackay and 890 km northeast of Rockhampton.
Alfred is moving south though the Coral Sea and is forecast to continue to move in a general southwards direction while slowly strengthening during Thursday.
“There is high confidence that Alfred will remain well off the Queensland coast into the weekend and the start of next week,” BOM said.
“There is uncertainty though, in regards to Alfred’s movement beyond Monday, with the possible risk that Alfred may move closer to the southern Queensland coast early next week.
“While Alfred is more likely to remain off the Queensland coast, there are increased coastal hazards forecast for the central and south coast. A large and powerful to potentially damaging easterly swell is forecast to develop about southeast Queensland beaches late in the week or during Saturday,” BOM advises.
