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INPorts and Harbours Award Pay Calculator
Work out what a week under the Ports and Harbours Award actually pays — the right vessel classification, weekend and public holiday penalties, casual loading and super, calculated the way the award says.
How the Ports and Harbours Award is applied
- Minimum rates are set per classification (clause 14.1, Schedule A) — the calculator uses the rates current from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026.
- Casuals get a 25% loading on top of the ordinary hourly rate, with a 3-hour minimum engagement each time they’re called in.
- Saturday, Sunday and public holiday hours are all penalty-rated ordinary hours — not overtime — at 150%/175%, 200%/225% and 250%/275% (permanent/casual) respectively. Public holiday is the highest rate in the award.
- Overtime applies to time worked outside ordinary hours Monday to Friday: the threshold is 3 hours before the rate rises, not the more common 2 — first 3 hours at 150% (175% casual), then 200% (225% casual).
- Two allowances are all-purpose under this award — towing/carrying explosives and towing non self-propelled bunker barges (clause 16.2(m)(i)–(ii)) — meaning they’re folded into the ordinary rate before penalties and leave are calculated. Missing that is the trap most employers hit.
- Superannuation (12%) applies to ordinary-time earnings, including weekend and public-holiday penalties — but not to overtime.
Who the award covers
- Vessels of any type operating wholly or substantially within a port, harbour or other body of water on the Australian coastline, or at sea
- Shipkeepers, deckhands, general purpose hands and able seamen on harbour and enclosed-water vessels
- Crane drivers, mates, engineers and masters on those vessels
- On-hire labour supply employers placing staff into the industry
- Tourist, ferry and charter operations within port and harbour limits
Dredging, marine tourism and charter vessels operating beyond enclosed waters, maritime offshore oil and gas, port authorities, stevedoring and marine towage each have their own award — check before you classify. Wild catch fishing is not covered either.
Which level is your team member?
The Ports and Harbours Award classifies by role and, for two classifications, by the equipment operated — clause 14.1 lists seven levels running from Shipkeeper up to Master. Most harbour and ferry crews sit at General Purpose Hand, the award’s “standard rate” and broadest classification; find the vessel role actually performed and the level follows.
| Level | Per hour | Per week (38h) | Typical roles | The test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shipkeeper | $28.51 | $1083.20 | Shipkeeper | The entry classification — keeping watch over a vessel, without the crewing duties of a deckhand or general purpose hand. |
| Crane Driver (under 20 tonnes) | $29.02 | $1102.60 | Crane Driver — cranes under 20 tonnes capacity | Operating a crane rated under 20 tonnes on a harbour or enclosed-water vessel. |
| General Purpose Hand | $31.09 | $1181.60 | General Purpose Hand · Deckhand · Greaser · Passenger Attendant · Turnstile Attendant · Boating Attendant · Host · Fireman · Trimmer · Linesman · Cook · Sailor · Able Seaman · Leading Hand | The award’s standard rate and broadest classification — general crewing, passenger service and vessel-support duties. Most harbour and ferry crew sit here. |
| Crane Driver (over 20 tonnes) | $31.94 | $1213.90 | Crane Driver — cranes over 20 tonnes capacity | Operating a crane rated at 20 tonnes or more. |
| Mate | $32.86 | $1248.60 | Mate | Second-in-command on the vessel, holding the qualifications the role requires. |
| Engineer | $32.86 | $1248.60 | Engineer | Responsible for the vessel’s engine room and mechanical systems. |
| Master | $34.50 | $1311.10 | Master | The top classification — in command of the vessel. |
- General Purpose Hand is deliberately wide — it covers deckhand, greaser, passenger attendant, turnstile attendant, boating attendant, host, fireman, trimmer, linesman, cook, sailor, able seaman and leading hand duties. Don’t split these into separate levels; the award doesn’t.
- Crane Driver has two tiers set purely by the crane’s rated capacity — under 20 tonnes or 20 tonnes and over. Nothing else distinguishes them.
- Mate, Engineer and Master are qualification-based command and technical roles — classify by the certificate of competency actually held and the duties performed under it, not by job title alone.
- On-hire employees placed into the industry are covered by this award the same as direct employees (clause 4.9) — get the classification right before the placement starts.
Allowances that can apply on top
Base rates and penalties aren’t the whole pay picture. The Ports and Harbours Award adds allowances for particular duties and situations — being the designated first aid officer, working overtime without notice, using your own car. They’re small lines individually, but they’re legal entitlements and they add up. The common ones (1 July 2026 amounts):
The calculator below doesn’t include allowances — add the ones that apply to your team on top of the result. The full list lives in the award’s allowances clause.
Break entitlements under the Ports and Harbours Award
Breaks are part of the award too — and missed or worked-through breaks usually carry a penalty rate, so they belong in the roster, not just the tea room. Here’s what the Ports and Harbours Award requires:
From the award’s breaks clause (clause 13). Verify the current award text before relying on it.
Calculate a week under the Ports and Harbours Award
Enter the week as it’s actually rostered. Weekend, evening and public-holiday hours are paid at the award’s penalty rates; anything beyond 38 hours is priced as overtime; super is applied to ordinary-time earnings only.
Rates current as of 1 July 2026 (adult minimums, MA000052) — first full pay period on or after that date.
This week’s numbers
Nothing is stored or sent — the maths runs on this page.
Are these the exact legal rates?
The classification minimums are the adult rates from the award (clause 14.1, Schedule A), current at 1 July 2026. Treat the result as a planning number and confirm against the award or your payroll adviser for junior, apprentice or shiftwork variations.
Why is General Purpose Hand one classification with so many titles?
The award groups deckhand, greaser, passenger attendant, host, cook, sailor, able seaman and several other roles into a single classification and rate — it’s the broadest level in the structure and the award’s standard rate for the industry.
Do I owe a weekend penalty even for a short Saturday shift?
Yes — any ordinary hours worked on a Saturday attract 150% (175% casual), and Sunday attracts 200% (225% casual), regardless of shift length. These are ordinary-hours penalty rates, not overtime.
What’s different about overtime here compared to other awards?
The threshold before the higher overtime rate applies is 3 hours, not the 2 hours common in many other awards — first 3 hours of weekday overtime at 150% (175% casual), then 200% (225% casual) after that.
This is a general calculator, not legal advice. It applies the award’s published adult minimums to the hours you enter — it can’t see your enterprise agreement, allowances or individual arrangements, and junior, apprentice and shiftwork rates differ. Always confirm pay against the award, your agreement or your adviser. If you believe something here is materially wrong or out of date, please contact us — we’ll review it promptly.
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