Flinders Port Holdings has welcomed Wharfside One, a new self-propelled barge commissioned to support waterside maintenance operations across its South Australian port network.
The vessel was delivered on March 3, 2026, designed and fabricated in collaboration with South Australian marine engineering firm MG Engineering from concept through to commissioning.
The barge incorporates a diesel outboard motor design that enhances operational safety by eliminating the need for petrol fuel storage on board, reducing fire and explosion risks associated with hot works and enabling maintenance to be carried out at fuel berths while vessels are alongside.
Onboard equipment includes an electric Elevated Work Platform, a fixed crane with a lifting capacity of 2.1 tonnes at a reach of 8.2 metres, a generator and a crib room.
A modular construction comprising three separate sections allows the barge to be transported to regional ports, providing operational flexibility across the full FPH network.
Flinders Port Holdings owns and operates the Flinders Adelaide Container Terminal and six regional ports spanning Port Giles, Port Lincoln, Wallaroo, Port Pirie, Klein Point and Thevenard.
FPH CEO Stewart Lammin described the investment as fundamentally driven by the safety and wellbeing of the company’s people, framing it as an enabler of more efficient and safer water-side maintenance activity across the group’s asset base.
Anthony Brdar, Managing Director of MG Engineering, highlighted the project as an example of South Australian maritime industry collaboration producing purpose-built solutions that strengthen sovereign capability.
