Port Adelaide
Founded 175 years ago, Port Adelaide is one of South Australia’s earliest settlements and became South Australia’s first state heritage area in the 1980s.
Port Adelaide is a tidal port with the geographic coordinates:
- Latitude 35 degrees-51 minutes south
- Longitude 138 degrees-30 minutes east
Communications on VHF radio telephonic channels, 12 and 16, are with the call sign “Adelaide Outer Harbor”. The additional local working channels are 6, 8 and 67.
Flinders Ports’ Port Adelaide Port Rules apply to all shipping in port waters. Please ensure you and your ship’s Captain and crew are familiar with these rules before arriving or departing from Port Adelaide.
Principal commodities
As the main maritime gateway for South Australia, Port Adelaide handles a diverse range of inbound and outbound cargoes which include:
- Grains and seeds
- Limestone
- Petroleum products
- Motor vehicles
- Metals and scrap metal
- Cement and cement clinker
- Fertilisers
- Agricultural commodities
- Iron-ore, iron and steel
- Break-bulk and general cargo
- Mineral sands
- Mineral concentrates
- Containers
Berth information
Port Adelaide has several berths at its Inner Harbour and Outer Harbor locations.
As the owner and operator of the Port of Adelaide, Flinders Ports is responsible for maintaining these berths to meet the needs of our shipping clients.
Principal dimensions (in metres) by berth location
| Berth ID | POA Declared Depth (metres)* | Wharf - Hard Stand (square metres) | Wharf - Height (metres) | Berth Box - Length (metres) | Berth Box - Breadth (metres) | Max Vessel Dimensions - LOA (metres) | Max Vessel Dimensions - Beam (metres) | Axle Load** | Commodities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADL IH 18 | 10.0 | 509 | 4.6 | 178 | 36 | 206 | 32.26 | 20 tonnes | Fertilisers / Scrap metal / Steel / Textiles / Acids / Soda Ash |
| ADL IH 19 | 10.0 | 509 | 4.6 | 168 | 36 | 206 | 32.26 | 50 tonnes | Fertilisers / Scrap metal / Steel / Textiles / Forestry products / Soda Ash |
| ADL IH 20 | 10.0 | 509 | 4.6 | 163 | 36 | 206 | 32.26 | 50 tonnes | Fertilisers / Scrap metal / Steel / Textiles / Forestry products / Soda Ash |
| ADL IH 25 | 10.2 | 125 | 4.4 | 240 | 35 | 206 | 32.26 | 50 tonnes | Stores / lay-up |
| ADL IH 27 | 10.9 | 142 | 4.6 | 224 | 36 | 206 | 32.26 | 20 tonnes | Grains & seeds |
| ADL IH 29 | 10.0 | 169 | 4.4 | 290 | 36 | 206 | 32.26 | 50 tonnes | Mineral sands / Livestock / Sulphur / Fertilisers / Scrap metal |
| ADL IH H | 11.2 | NA | 4.4 | 304 | 36 | 206 | 32.26 | 6.5 tonnes | Cement / Cement clinker |
| ADL IH K | 7.5 | 56 | 4.4 | 171 | 25 | 102 | - | 9 tonnes | Limestone |
| ADL IH M | 10.7 | NA | 4.4 | 218 | 35 | 206 | 32.26 | No vehicle access | Petroleum products |
| ADL IH N | 7.8 | NA | 4.3 | 100 | 25 | 140 | - | 2.5 tonnes | Bulk liquid |
| ADL OSB 4 | 7.5 | 221 | 4.6 | 120 | 30 | 120 | - | - | - |
| ADL OSB 1 | 10 | 180 | 4.4 | 208 | 30 | 170 | - | 20 tonnes | Acid / Break bulk / General cargoes / Grain / Cement |
| ADL OH 1 | 11.5 | 432 | 5.6 | 185 | 37 | 300 | 36 | 8 - 50 tonnes | General cargo / lay-up |
| ADL OH 2 | 11.2 | 432 | 5.4 | 183 | 37 | 300 | 36 | 8 - 12 tonnes | Passenger Terminal / Motor vehicles |
| ADL OH 3 | 11.2 | 432 | 5.7 | 150 | 37 | 300 | 36 | 8 - 100 tonnes | Motor vehicles |
| ADL OH 4 | 13.8 | 300 | 5.7 | 214 | 37 | 300 | 36 | 0 - 100 tonnes | Petroleum products / Motor vehicles |
| ADL OH 6 | 14.2 | 660 | 5.3 | 300 | 40 | 300 | 36 | 8 - 50 tonnes | Containers |
| ADL OH 7 | 14.2 | 660 | 5.3 | 323 | 40 | 300 | 36 | 30 - 50 tonnes | Containers / Ores |
| ADL OH 8 | 16.2 | 229 | 5.3 | 320 | 50 | 300 | 36 | - | Grains & seeds |
*Allowable depths are a minimum of 0.3 metres less than the declared depth. Please check notices to mariners for temporary limitations.
** Please contact Flinders Ports for all crane lifts and loads, non-standard vehicles and access requests for loads heavier than those prescribed.
Note: For further information about Port Adelaide’s Inner Harbour and Outer Harbor berths including the latest depths in the channel or berths please contact Adelaide Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) on +61 (0)8 8447 0623
Berth map
The Port of Adelaide includes our facilities at both Inner Harbour and Outer Harbor. Our aerial map shows the location of each berth and the commodities handled.
To download a copy of the berth map, please click on the link below.
Bunkering Facilities at N Berth
Since October 2016, BP Australia has had a new pipeline facility at N Berth, located in Port Adelaide’s Inner Harbour.
- Port: Port Adelaide
- Supply Point: BP Largs North Terminal
- Berth: N only
- Draft: 8 metres
- Flow rate: 130 cbms / per hour
- Operating hours: daylight hours (interim)
- Contractor / third party: Australian Terminals Operations Management (ATOM)
- Other: vessels up to 120 metres in length
For more information visit our Port Service Providers Directory and view Bunkering services
Inner Harbour and Osborne
The ship limitations for vessels calling at Port Adelaide’s Inner Harbour berths 18-29, H, K, M, N and Osborne berths are:
- Maximum length overall – 206 metres
- Maximum beam – 32.2 metres
- Maintained depth, below lowest astronomical tide – 9.3 metres
- Mean high spring tides – 2.4 metres
- Mean high neap tides – 1.3 metres
Swing basin
A swing basin is situated just south of Inner Harbour Berth 27 which has a diameter of 330 metres.
Outer Harbor
The ship limitations for vessels calling at Port Adelaide’s Outer Harbor berths OH 1 to OH 8 are:
- Maximum length overall – 350 metres
- Maximum beam – 49 metres
- Maintained depth, below lowest astronomical tide – 14.2 metres
- Mean high spring tides – 2.4 metres
- Mean high neap tides – 1.3 metres
Swing basins
Outer Harbor has two swing basins:
- Opposite the OH 2 Passenger Terminal – a diameter of 400 metres.
- Opposite OH 6 – a diameter of 505 metres
Outer Harbor 4 Fuel Berth
In April 2014, Flinders Ports and industry partner Caltex officially opened a brand new common-user fuel berth facility at Outer Harbor 4.
Capable of handling both medium range (MR) and long range (LR) fuel tankers, the facilities are fully compliant with Australian Standards and International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT).
Ship limitations for vessels calling at the Outer Harbor 4 Fuel Berth:
- Maximum length overall – 300 metres
- Maximum beam – 36 metres
- Maximum vessel displacement 85,500 tonnes
Outer Harbor Berths 6 & 7 - Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal
Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal located at Outer Harbor Berths 6 and 7, is South Australia’s only container terminal facility and has a total quay length of 660 metres.
With seven direct shipping services linking South Australia to international markets, Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal is a well-equipped, modern facility which has a focus on safety and innovation.
Linked to the national rail network, the facility has three post-panamax cranes, 22 straddle carriers and a selection of forklifts and reachstackers. Visit Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal’s new website for more information.
Outer Harbor Berth 8
Outer Harbor Berth 8 is a dedicated grain loading wharf operated by Viterra.
It is capable of handling Panamax size dry bulk vessels.
