30 Years of DUKC® at Port Hedland

The Port of Port Hedland is marking a major milestone this year as it celebrates 30 years of Dynamic Under Keel Clearance (DUKC®) operations. Since its introduction in 1995, DUKC® has played a central role in supporting the port’s growth, efficiency, and record-breaking export performance.

Just months after commissioning DUKC®, the port set a world record by exporting 499,123 tonnes on a single tide in February 1996. Today, more than 5 billion tonnes of exports have been facilitated through DUKC® operations at Port Hedland.

Over the past three decades, OMC International and Pilbara Ports have worked closely to help the port scale from handling 60 million tonnes and 1,000 vessel movements in 1994/95 to 577.7 million tonnes and 6,940 vessel movements in 2024/25. This growth has been supported by OMC’s broader suite of digital optimisation and risk management tools, including the Dynamic Port Capacity Model, PortWeather, and TransitAnalyst.

A flagship example of this collaboration is the Channel Risk & Optimisation Project (CROP) — a $120m dredging initiative. Using DUKC® to optimise the dredging profile, Pilbara Ports achieved significant capacity gains while reducing environmental impact, cutting the required dredged depth by an average of 0.63 metres.

Another milestone is the development of the Dynamic Port Capacity Model (DPCM®), the first discrete event simulation model to incorporate dynamic UKC calculations. The DPCM® helped unlock latent capacity that ultimately exceeded the potential of the proposed $20 billion Outer Harbour development from 2008.

The port’s operating statistics reflect the long-term benefits of dynamic draft management. Reports show that DUKC® has increased tonnage per vessel by more than 13 per cent and expanded sailing windows, enabling more vessels to depart each tide.

Key achievements include:

• First five-vessel departure on a tide in 2009
• First 1 million tonnes on a tide in 2012
• In 2024/25,
  • 1 million tonnes on a tide achieved 141 times
  • Five or more vessels on a tide achieved 304 times

Reflecting on 30 Years of Partnership:

Peter O’Brien, CEO of OMC International, said: “as one of OMC’s founding clients, we greatly cherish the journey we have been on with Pilbara Ports over the last 30 years. Pilbara Ports is commended worldwide for the incredible throughput it facilitates and its significance to the Australian and global shipping economy.

It has been wonderful for OMC to be part of this growth journey; we are a company built on innovation, and Pilbara Ports has been a critical partner in the continual evolution of our technology. We are very grateful for their vision and support.”

Pilbara Ports Chief Executive Officer, Samuel McSkimming said: “we are proud to partner with OMC International as they celebrate 30 years of DUKC®, empowering vessels to safely and efficiently navigate our port’s channel. Pilbara Ports has achieved record-breaking shipments safely over the years thanks to revolutionary programs such as DUKC®. We look forward to continuing our partnership with OMC International.”

Read the full media release here.