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Department of Agriculture

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  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Aircraft, vessels and military
  4. Vessels

Sidebar first - Biosecurity

  • Biosecurity and trade
    • Biosecurity
      • Coronavirus
        • Food and agriculture
        • Exports
        • Imports
        • Domestic animals
      • Commonwealth Biosecurity 2030
      • Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper-Biosecurity Surveillance and Analysis
        • Improving biosecurity surveillance and analysis
        • Forum Communique-July 2017
        • Australian Livestock Industry Health Studies
      • Sustainable biosecurity funding
      • Onshore Biosecurity Levy
      • Biosecurity Matters
        • Gardening
        • Farming
        • Domestic travel
        • International travel
        • Online shopping
        • Recreational fishing
        • Bushwalking
        • Owning pets
        • Boat owner
        • Long distance driver
      • Committees and partnerships
        • Industry Consultative committees
        • International Cargo Cooperative Biosecurity Arrangement
        • Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme
        • National Biosecurity Committee
          • National Biosecurity Forum
            • Previous forums
          • National Biosecurity Emergency Preparedness Expert Group
          • Sheep and Goat Traceability Task Force
          • State and territory biosecurity roundtables
          • Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity
            • Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity Review
              • Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity Review Discussion Paper
              • Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity Review Draft Report
              • Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity Review Final Report
              • AGMIN Joint Statement
              • Response from agriculture ministers
                • Property Identification Reforms
            • Protocol on biosecurity data and information sharing between the Commonwealth, State and Territory biosecurity agencies
            • National Surveillance and Diagnostics Framework
            • National Transition Program Policy Framework
            • National Biosecurity Engagement and Communication Framework
            • National Framework for the Management of Established Pests and Diseases of National Significance
          • National Biosecurity Response Team Arrangements 2017-2019
          • National Environment and Community Biosecurity Research, Development and Extension Strategy 2021-26
          • National RD&E Priorities for Invasive Plants and Animals 2016-2020
          • NBC Membership List
        • Northern Australia Biosecurity Framework
          • Northern Australia Biosecurity Framework Reference Group
        • Partnerships in biosecurity
          • MOU Agriculture and Health
        • National Biosecurity Statement
          • Communication and Engagement Strategy
      • Aircraft, vessels and military
        • Aircraft
          • Aircraft disinsection
            • Aircraft Disinsection Information (ADI) and Import Relationship and Access Manager (iRAM)
            • Aircraft Disinsection Information (ADI) and Import Relationship and Access Manager (iRAM) support
            • Aircraft disinsection procedures for flights into Australia and New Zealand
          • Aircraft application form
          • Arrangements for aircraft invoking sovereign immunity
          • Guidelines for airline and aircraft operators arriving in Australian territory
          • Landing places determined as first points of entry for aircraft
        • Vessels
          • Australian registered vessels
          • Cruise vessels
          • Biosecurity legislation and the Australian territory
          • Cabotage cargo (fertiliser, grain and stockfeed)
          • Commercial vessel biosecurity reporting
            • Crew change
            • Routine vessel inspections
            • Ship sanitation certification
            • Coastal status or coastal stripping of commercial vessels
          • Vessels arriving at first points of entry or non-first points of entry
            • Alternative biosecurity entry point application form
            • First points of entry – information for arriving vessels and goods
            • First points of entry - seaport operator requirements
          • Human health
            • Crew change
            • Pratique
          • Marine pest biosecurity
            • Ballast Water
              • Australian Ballast Water Management Requirements
              • Ballast Water Authorisation
            • Biofouling
              • Anti-fouling and in-water cleaning guidelines
                • Australian in-water cleaning standards
                • General recommendations
              • Biofouling management requirements
              • Consultation Regulation Impact Statement
                • Consultation Regulation Impact Statement, 2011
          • Maritime and Aircraft Reporting System (MARS)
            • MARS communications and training materials
            • MARS offline forms
          • Non-commercial vessels
            • Accredited suppliers list for termite detection services
            • Importing vessels with timber components frequently asked questions
            • Importing vessels with timber components
          • Offshore installations
            • Offshore Installations Biosecurity Guide
          • Plants and insects
            • Burnt pine longicorn beetle - person in charge questionnaire and statement
          • Reportable biosecurity incidents
        • Military
          • Australian Defence Force
            • Cleaning instructions - Personal equipment
          • Visiting military
            • Essential biosecurity information for military forces
            • Foreign government vessels invoking sovereign immunity
          • Cleaning requirements
          • Military frequently asked questions
          • Military vessels
          • Offshore inspections of military equipment
          • Ration packs
        • Transhipping through Australia
          • Transhipped ship’s stores lodgement cover sheet
      • Biosecurity in Australia
        • Biosecurity Advanced Analytics Capability
        • Detector dogs
        • Innovative Biosecurity 3D X-ray Project
        • Modernising Australia’s approach to managing established pests and diseases of national significance: Discussion paper
        • Northern biosecurity
          • Aquatic pest biosecurity community awareness
          • Biosecurity Business Grants Program
          • Ranger Capability Building Grants Program
          • Biosecurity-it’s everyone’s business virtual reality experience
          • Country Handle with Care - Costa and dirtgirl Tackle Biosecurity
          • Frontline-northern biosecurity’s community song
          • Frontline Ranger Newsletter
          • Rabies Awareness-Keep a Top Watch! in your community animation
          • Report a pest, weed or disease in Northern Australia
          • You can be a Biosecurity Champion too!
            • Developing industry and supporting local growers
        • Northern Australia Biosecurity Strategy 2030
          • The Northern Australia People Capacity and Response Network (NAPCaRN)
        • Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy (NAQS)
          • Co-operative biosecurity in northern Australia
          • Aircraft arriving on the Australian mainland from Torres Strait
          • NAQS target pests, diseases and weeds
          • Moving goods to, from and within Torres Strait
          • Significant events in the history of NAQs
            • Celebrating 30 years of co-operative biosecurity in northern Australia
            • Commemorating 25 years of NAQS
          • Shipping and yachting in the Torres Strait
          • Map of NAQS zones
        • Public awareness and education
          • Australian biosecurity webinar series
          • Detect and Protect podcast
            • Series 1 - How our biosecurity system works
            • Series 2 – Detector dogs
          • Australian Biosecurity Awards
            • Current Australian Biosecurity Award recipients
            • Past Australian Biosecurity Award recipients
          • Pacific engagement
            • Exporting to Australia from the Pacific
            • Working together with our Pacific neighbours
            • Australia's biosecurity system
            • Inside the department
              • Meet the team
            • Your local authority
          • Be a Junior Biosecurity Officer
          • Visual resources
        • Reform of the biosecurity system
          • Biosecurity Training Centre
          • Industry Partnerships and Engagement
        • Reports and publications
          • 2008-12 Imported cargo processing, a DAFF time release study
          • Biosecurity Matters Newsletter
          • Australian Quarantine a shared responsibility: The Nairn report
            • Australian Quarantine a shared responsibility: The Government response
        • Pest and disease surveillance at Australia’s borders
        • Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Biosecurity Strategy
      • Biosecurity research and innovation
        • Biosecurity Innovation Program
        • How we work with you
        • Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis
        • Innovation Ideas initiative
        • Innovation Pilots Initiative
      • Biosecurity Innovation Exchange 2018
      • Biosecurity risk analysis
        • Import proposals
        • Conducting a biosecurity risk analysis
          • Appropriate Level of Protection
          • Final Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis report checklist
          • Australia’s international biosecurity obligations
          • Roles and responsibilities in a Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis
          • Scientific Advisory Group
        • Animal import risk analyses
          • Review of prawns and prawn products
            • Background: prawn and prawn products review
            • Prawn imports and biosecurity
            • Submissions received on the Review of prawns and prawn products – draft report
            • Submissions received on Australia’s current prawn import policy
          • Cooked turkey meat from the United States
            • Cooked turkey meat from the United States - Commencement of a review
          • Cooked duck meat from Thailand
          • Dairy products for human consumption
          • Fish and fish products for use as pet food and stockfeed
          • Hatching eggs of poultry
          • Import of live sturgeon for aquaculture
          • Natural sausage casings
          • Psittacine birds
          • Egg powder from approved countries
          • Zoo bovids from approved countries
        • Plant risk analyses
          • Plant commodity/country and pest risk analyses
          • How we conduct a plant risk analysis
        • Group pest risk analyses
          • Group pest risk analysis for scale insects
            • Draft report fact sheet
          • Group pest risk analysis for thrips and orthotospoviruses
            • Draft report
            • Fact sheet
            • Final report
          • Group pest risk analysis for mealybugs
            • Draft report
            • Draft report fact sheet
            • Final report
            • Final report fact sheet
        • Biological control agents
          • Risk analyses
            • Completed Risk Analyses
            • Current Risk Analyses
          • Host test lists
          • Protocol for biological control agents
        • Weed assessments
          • Development of the Weed Risk Assessment system
          • Weed risk assessments frequently asked questions
          • Reasons for the Weed Risk Assessment system
          • The Weed Risk Assessment process
            • Weed Risk Assessment system
        • Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis guidelines
        • Centre of excellence for biosecurity risk analysis
        • Biosecurity advices
        • Register as a stakeholder
      • Emergency preparedness and outbreak response
        • Exercises
          • Exercise Waterhole
        • National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement review
          • NBC approach to the NEBRA five year review recommendations
        • Horse Disease Response Levy review
        • Wildlife Exotic Disease Preparedness Program
          • Feral animals as hosts of exotic disease: Identification of potential disease contact between feral animals and sites of exotic disease incursion
          • Avian Influenza Viruses in Migratory Shorebirds and Nomadic Water Fowl in South Australia
          • Avian Migration and Movement pathogens in the Australo-Papuan context
          • AWHN OIE Report 2004
          • AWHN OIE Report 2005
          • Destroy and Let Lie Disposal Project
          • Development and Validation - Newcastle Disease
          • Field Surveillance and Monitoring - Leishmania in the Northern Territory
          • Final report: preparing Australia by preparing Papua New Guinea
          • GIS Mapping Software in National Surveillance Database
          • Identifying and Mapping Hendra virus
          • Identifying and Mapping Hendra Virus (2)
          • Identifying and Mapping Hendra Virus Strain Diversity (Stage 1)
          • Improving the Relevance and Efficiency of Wild Bird Surveillance for AI
          • Reservoirs of Infection: The Epidemiological Characteristics of an Emerging Pathogen
          • Summary Report - Contraceptives Pigs
          • Summary Report - pigs disease spread
      • Animal
      • Plant
      • Pests, diseases and weeds
      • Environmental biosecurity
        • Australian Chief Environmental Biosecurity Officer
        • Environmental Biosecurity Framework
        • Environmental biosecurity stakeholder engagement
        • Priority list of exotic pests, weeds and diseases
        • The Environmental Biosecurity Project Fund
      • Biosecurity questions and answers
      • Legislation
        • List of Biosecurity Preparedness Plans
        • List of Goods That May Carry Hitchhiker Pests
        • The Biosecurity Act 2015
          • Updates to information sharing provisions
          • Changes to import requirements
          • Introduction to the Biosecurity Act Interactive Learning tool
          • Reviewable decisions
        • Reportable biosecurity incidents
          • Reportable biosecurity incidents form
        • Compliance and enforcement
          • Biosecurity Compliance Plan 2016-17
          • Biosecurity Compliance Statement
          • Compliance and enforcement tools
          • Redline - report a biosecurity breach
          • Export and import laws and the role of the department
          • Infringement Notice Scheme
            • Infringement notices at the airport
            • Other infringement notices
      • Fees and charges
      • Forms

Vessels

Protecting Australia

The department manages biosecurity risks at the Australian border. We ensure international vessels arriving in Australian territory comply with International Health Regulations (IHR) and manage biosecurity risks for arrival.

Maritime conveyances (vessels) entering Australia could unknowingly carry unwanted pests and diseases, threatening our unique flora and fauna, aquaculture and agricultural industries as well as our human health.

Biosecurity risk of vessels is managed through pre-arrival reporting, assessment and inspection of international vessels arriving in Australia. For the entire time the vessel is in Australian waters, vessels must report:

  • the human health of travellers
  • crew changes
  • animals on board
  • hitchhiking animals and birds
  • plant and insect pests
  • ballast water and biofouling.

The Seaports Program email address will be changed to:

conveyance.maritime@aff.gov.au

Biosecurity reporting obligations

Vessel Operator Responsibilities

The operator of a vessel is obligated to accurately report information in accordance with Section 193 of the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Shipping Agent Responsibilities

Where a vessel operator uses a shipping agent, the agent is responsible for lodgment of accurate and timely pre-arrival reporting (PAR).

The agent must ensure that this information is a true and correct representation of the reports provided by the vessel operator, and that any changes have been confirmed with the operator.

Pre-arrival information, and changes, for vessels must be reported in a method approved by the Director of Biosecurity.

For commercials, reporting obligations are met once vessel pre-arrival information has been submitted in the Maritime and Aircraft Reporting System (MARS). Electronic offline forms can be used where there is limited internet connectivity, but they do not constitute the approved form until the PAR has been  submitted in MARS.

Pre-arrival reporting must be reported 96 to 12 hours prior to arrival in Australian waters.

Pre-arrival reporting ensures that the biosecurity risk of each vessel entering Australian waters is assessed and managed. Where vessel reporting does not meet the department‘s standards additional directions or corrective actions will be issued by a biosecurity officer.

Any changes in circumstances during the voyage in Australian waters must also be reported to the department as soon as practicable.

In addition to department requirements, Australian state and territory governments also have biosecurity requirements.

Biosecurity legislation and the Australian Territory

The range of the Australian territory and its external territories.

Learn about our maritime jurisdictions

Where in Australia can you arrive?

Vessels can only arrive at Australian ports approved by the department.

Discover the points where you can arrive

Commercial vessels

Commercial vessel types that must report using MARS on pre-arrival to Australia.

Learn about commercial vessel type reporting requirements

Maritime and Aircraft Reporting System (MARS)

How to access MARS to report commercial vessel pre-arrival and receive biosecurity directions for arrival.

Access MARS

Non-commercial vessels

What are your pre-arrival reporting obligations and what to expect for your non-commercial vessel (yacht) arrival in Australia.

Preparing your non-commercial vessel for biosecurity clearance

Australian registered vessels

Are you an Australian vessel travelling within Australian territories?

What are your reporting requirements?

Offshore installations

What are your reporting obligations for vessels or aircraft that move between an installation and Australian ports

Preparing your offshore installation for biosecurity clearance

Need help with vessel reporting?

Contact us for help, 7 days a week.

Contact us

Cruise vessels

Information for cruise vessel operators

Military vessels

All military vessels arriving in Australia must undergo a routine vessel inspection by a biosecurity officer at their first point of entry into Australian territory (unless invoking sovereign immunity).

See also Military vessels.

Fees and charges

The department charges for activities it undertakes to protect Australia’s biosecurity. A full list of fees associated with vessel biosecurity services are set out in the department’s charging guidelines.

Compliance and Enforcement

Under section 532 of the Biosecurity Act, a person is liable to a civil penalty for false or misleading information, or omission of any matter, or thing, without which the information is misleading.

Failure to comply with a requirement under the Act may result in penalties, including infringement notices, civil penalties or criminal prosecutions.

See also Reportable biosecurity incidents.

Need help with vessel reporting?

The department’s National Maritime Centre (NMC) provides national support.

See Vessel Contacts for the key biosecurity offices, and on-call contact arrangements at each port location across Australia.

Learn about ongoing heightened biosecurity measures and surveillance

Foot and mouth disease – What to look for Foot and mouth disease - DAFF and Measures to prevent the introduction of foot and mouth disease into Australia

Burnt Pine Longicorn (BPL) – increased seasonal risk between November and May each year: Burnt pine longicorn beetle - person in charge questionnaire and statement

Join the Vessel Seasonal Pest Scheme (VSPS) - for shipping lines: Management of vessels during the Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) risk season

African swine fever – travellers must not remove jerky, biltong and other pork products from the vessel: Keeping African swine fever out of Australia

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

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Last updated: 26 June 2023

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.