leased facilities to seven third party vessels and protection for three of our own vessels using this technique by the cyclone season in 2001. As more vessels seek protection, additional breakwaters can be constructed and sea room dredged. Each mooring involves a pattern of pin piles drilled into the granite sea floor with four vessel specific mooring lines secured to special attachment points on the vessel. Many smaller vessels including Mermaid’s will be lifted from the water and tied down on purpose built cradles for cyclones. Like our neighbours, much of the Mermaid site is below the prescribed storm surge level, or needs some degree of earthworks to maximize its value. Currently 8 of the 17 ha of the area is suitable for development in its present state. The spoil produced from dredging will allow Mermaid to achieve full utilization of the site at a fraction of the cost of importing fill from elsewhere. Considerable effort has gone into anticipating the future direction of the Base. Planning services such as traffic flows, land allocation and security, as well as fulfilling the many and complex regulatory requirements related to health, safety, quarantine, environmental management, dust, dangerous goods and hazchem materials have been the subject of considerable study prior to this implementation stage.  F. ONSHORE LAND RECLAMATION. The foreshore of King Bay will be redeveloped as part of the Mermaid Marine Dampier Base Expansion works. MERMAID MARINE  AUSTRALIA LIMITED OPERATIONS REVIEW