All Ports and Harbours in South Australia are declared prohibited areas pursuant to section 30 of the Explosives Act 1936, including the Port of Adelaide at Outer Harbor.
The Port of Adelaide is the only port in South Australia where explosives are permitted. Permission must be obtained from SafeWork SA and the Port Authority before any explosives can enter the prohibited area.
To obtain permission for explosives to enter the prohibited area the shipping line must submit a Schedule O permit which has the details of:
- Name of the ship
- Shipping company
- The aggregate quantity of explosives that will be in the prohibited area in relation to that particular ship
- Includes explosives being retained onboard, shipped, transhipped or unloaded
- Time and date the ship is scheduled to berth
- Berth
- Owner or agent of the explosives
- Name and address of the consignee
- Number of packages and description of explosives, including UN number and classification
- Where applicable, the quantity of packages in each container
- Net explosive content
- Gross mass of the packages
The Schedule O permit is to be submitted by the company operating the ship as they are the only ones who have visibility over all cargo on the ship. Schedule O permits submitted by shipping agents will not be considered and if multiple Schedule O permits are received for a single vessel, only the permit submitted by the shipping company will be accepted.
On receiving a Schedule O permit SafeWork SA Inspectors will assess the explosives cargo to ensure that it complies with the explosives limits set for the port. These limits can be seen in table 1 where the quantities are the Net Explosive Quantity unless otherwise indicated. These quantities apply to the entire port, not individual ships so shipping companies should liaise with Flinders Ports to ensure that there will be no issues with their shipment.
Table 1: Net explosive quantity limits for explosives at Outer Harbor.
| Class of Explosives | Existing Limit (Gross mass) | New Limit from February 2025 (Net Explosives Quantity) |
|---|---|---|
Class 1.1, 1.5 & 1.6* | 2,500 kg | 2,500 kg |
Class 1.2 | 6,500 kg | 7,500 kg |
Class 1.3 | 65,000 kg | 100,000 kg |
Class 1.4 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Fireworks | ** | ** |
Class 9*** | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Ammonium Nitrate Blasting Intermediate (ANBI) | 2,500 kg | 2,500 kg |
Security Sensitive Ammonium Nitrate (other than ANBI)# | 800,000 kg (freight container) 300,000 kg (other) | 800,000 kg (freight container) 300,000 kg (other) |
* For one type of article of Division 1.6, the total NEQ is that of one article. Where different articles of division 1.6 are involved, the total NEQ of all articles should be used.
** NEQ of fireworks is calculated as 50% of the gross mass. Consignments of fireworks exceeding 250 kg NEQ shall be handled as if they are of Class 1.1G and the respective quantity limits in Table 1 shall apply. Consignments below 250 kg NEQ may be handled in accordance with the assigned class division for the particular UN number.
*** For example: airbag modules, seat belt pretensioners, etc.
# Where ammonium nitrate is to be handled simultaneously with Class 1.1, 1.5 or 1.6 explosives, 50% of the quantity of ammonium nitrate shall be added to the explosives quantity to obtain the resultant NEQ.
Any significant changes to scheduling will require notification to SafeWork SA who will decide whether a new permit needs to be issued.