Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Ministers
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Drought, disaster and rural support
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Levies and charges on agricultural products
    • Mouse infestation advice
    • Plant health
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    • Report a concern
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Budget 2025-26

    Budget 2025-26

    The 2025–26 Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 March 2025.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Vessels, aircraft and military
  4. Vessels
  5. Vessel Pratique

Sidebar first - Biosecurity

  • Biosecurity and trade
    • Biosecurity
      • Catalysing Australia’s Biosecurity
      • Biosecurity 2030 Roadmap
      • Sustainable biosecurity funding
        • Proposed Biosecurity Protection Levy
      • Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper-Biosecurity Surveillance and Analysis
        • Improving biosecurity surveillance and analysis
        • Forum Communique-July 2017
        • Australian Livestock Industry Health Studies
      • Biosecurity Matters
        • Gardening
        • Farming
        • Domestic travel
        • International travel
        • Online shopping
        • Recreational fishing
        • Bushwalking
        • Owning pets
        • Boat owner
        • Long distance driver
      • Committees and partnerships
        • Sustainable Biosecurity Funding Advisory Panel
        • 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
              • 2024 Independent Review
                • Consultation
              • 2017 Independent Review
            • 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
        • 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
          • Biosecurity legislation and the Australian territory
          • Commercial vessel biosecurity reporting
            • Cabotage cargo (fertiliser, grain and stockfeed)
            • Release from biosecurity control
            • Ship sanitation certification
          • Cruise vessels
          • Disembarking crew
          • First points of entry – information for arriving vessels and goods
          • First points of entry and non-first points of entry
            • Alternative biosecurity entry point application form
            • First points of entry - seaport operator requirements
          • Human health
          • Marine pest biosecurity
            • Ballast Water
              • Australian Ballast Water Management Requirements
              • Ballast Water Authorisation
            • Biofouling in Australia
              • Australian biofouling requirements
              • In-water cleaning in Australia
              • International relations
              • Biofouling resources
              • Non-commercial vessel biofouling
          • 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
          • Pratique
          • Reportable biosecurity incidents
          • Waste recycling
        • 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-it’s everyone’s business virtual reality experience
          • Country Handle with Care - Costa and dirtgirl Tackle Biosecurity
          • Frontline-northern biosecurity’s community song
          • Avian influenza awareness – Keep a TopWatch!
          • Lumpy skin disease awareness – Keep a TopWatch!
          • Rabies Awareness - Keep a Top Watch!
          • Report a pest, weed or disease in Northern Australia
          • You can be a Biosecurity Champion too!
            • Developing industry and supporting local growers
        • Indigenous Ranger Biosecurity Program
          • Northern Australia Indigenous Biosecurity Ranger Forum
          • Northern Australia Indigenous Rangers Biosecurity Round Table
          • Biosecurity Business Grants Program
          • Ranger Capability Building Grants Program
          • Frontline Ranger Newsletter
        • 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
            • Activities for kids
            • Teacher resources on biosecurity
          • 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
      • Import risk analyses
        • Import request
        • Conducting an import risk analysis
          • Appropriate Level of Protection
          • Australia’s international biosecurity obligations
          • Roles and responsibilities in an 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 Volare (2024)
        • Maintaining good animal welfare outcomes in an emergency animal disease outbreak
        • 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
        • Managing Environmental Biosecurity
          • How we engage
          • First Nations
          • Research and innovation
        • How the system works
        • Exotic environmental pests
          • The Environmental Biosecurity Project Fund
          • Priority list of exotic pests, weeds and diseases
            • Technical information about the Exotic Environmental Pest List
            • Higher-risk exotic environmental pests
      • 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
      • Coronavirus
        • Food and agriculture
        • Exports
        • Imports
        • Domestic animals

Vessel Pratique

The International Health Regulations 2005 defines pratique as “permission for a ship to enter a port, embark or disembark, discharge or load cargo or stores; permission for an aircraft, after landing, to embark or disembark, discharge or load cargo or stores; and permission for a ground transport vehicle, upon arrival, to embark or disembark, discharge or load cargo or stores”. This is to ensure risks to human health can be identified and managed before the vessel or aircraft is unloaded or disembarked.

All vessels arriving in Australia from outside of Australia, must provide the department with a Pre-Arrival Report (PAR). The PAR provides the department with specific information to perform a biosecurity risk assessment of the vessel prior to arrival, including an assessment of human health.

A vessel will be subject to either positive or negative pratique when entering Australian territorial waters, 12 nautical miles (nm) from the Australian coastline. The type of vessel and the information provided in the PAR will determine the pratique process used. Vessels moored at anchorage outside of Australian territory (12nm) are outside the jurisdiction of the Biosecurity Act 2015 except for Pre-Arrival reporting requirements. Vessel pratique does not affect a vessels permission to berth in Australia. Once pratique has been granted, it can not be revoked.

Commercial vessels (other than cruise vessels) are subject to the positive pratique process if no Illness has been reported prior to arrival in Australian territory.  The submission of a Pre-Arrival Report (PAR) is required 96-12 hours before the estimated arrival at an Australian port. Pratique is automatically granted, by operation of s 48(2) of the Act via the Maritime and Aircraft Reporting System (MARS) on arrival, where there are no human health issues reported. At the boundary of the Port Precinct the vessel will have approval as per the Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) to discharge or load cargo and embark or disembark travellers (all passengers and crew).

If there is illness or death on-board, or if a pre-arrival report has not been provided, at the time of arrival at the port precinct, the vessel will be subject to the negative pratique process and pratique will not be granted until a biosecurity officer has assessed the human health risks associated with the vessel.

If a vessel reports no illness on a PAR prior to the vessel entering Australian Territory and then indicates illness on a human health update, the vessel will become subject to the negative pratique process. This will be advised on the subsequent version of the BSD. Pratique will not be granted until a biosecurity officer has assessed the human health risks associated with the vessel.

Non-commercial vessels and cruise vessels are subject to the negative pratique process and will not be granted pratique until a biosecurity officer has assessed the human health risks associated with the vessel at its first port of entry. For non-commercial vessels, the submission of a PAR is required between 90 days and 12 hours before the estimated time of arrival at an Australian port. For cruise vessels, the submission of a Pre-Arrival Report (PAR) is required 96-12 hours before the estimated arrival at an Australian port.

Assessment by a biosecurity officer should occur at a declared first point of entry that is the vessel’s first port of arrival into Australia.

Vessel Tracking and granting of pratique

Active Vessel Monitoring (AVM) is a departmental web portal that tracks vessels and interacts with the MARS database to display information relevant to biosecurity risks a vessel may pose. This includes human health, insects and animals on board.

AVM allows biosecurity officers to view locations of vessels for monitoring biosecurity risks on a single screen. Vessel location is displayed based on location data received from Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), Australian Border Force (ABF) and Marine Traffic, utilising a vessels Automatic Identification System (AIS).

For vessels subject to the positive pratique process, once AVM calculates a vessel is 12 Nautical Miles from the Australian coastline, it will arrive the vessel in MARS. A BSD will be issued to the vessel via MARS indicating the granting of pratique.

Where a vessel is travelling through Australian territorial waters, which is not located near a declared First Point of Entry, these vessels will not be granted pratique. Some of these locations include the Torres Strait and the Great Australian Bight.

Vessel operators are required to keep their Automatic Identification System (AIS) on to transmit Position Reports in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974 Chapter 5, Regulation 19.2.4.

Vessel operators must report any malfunction of the vessel’s AIS equipment to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Australia in accordance with Section 186 of the Navigation Act 2012.

  • Marine Order 63 (Navigation Act 2012) makes the provision of Position Reports mandatory for:foreign vessels from the arrival at its first port in Australia until its departure from its final port in Australia; and
  • all regulated Australian vessels whilst in the Modernised Australian Ship Tracking and Reporting System (MASTREP) area.

If Pratique has not been granted please use the Vessel Contacts page to contact the department.

Import Industry Advice Notices provide the most up to date information to industry stakeholders, while Departmental webpages are regularly updated as changes occur. To subscribe select ‘Import Industry Advice Notices email notification system’.

Berthing Conditions

Vessel berthing conditions in Australian Ports are provided on the Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) after meeting reporting requirements. Vessel pratique does not affect a vessels permission to berth in Australia.

A vessel subject to the positive pratique process by virtue of the Act will have permission to embark or disembark travellers (all passengers and crew), discharge or load waste or cargo.

A vessel subject to the negative pratique process by virtue of the Act does not have permission to embark or disembark travellers (all passengers and crew), discharge or load waste or cargo.  Access to the vessel is restricted to personnel who are authorised under the Biosecurity Act 2015 or another Australian law until pratique has been granted by a biosecurity officer.

If vessels intends to enter an Australian territory and requires people to disembark the vessel to an Australian territory outside the 12nm range, they are required to submit a Crew Change application or report through the PAR in MARS prior to crew disembarkation. There are no restrictions for crew to join a vessel. The reporting requirement is not required for Pilots of vessels. Pilots can embark and disembark under the Navigation Act 2012.

Vessel operators should be aware that the potential transfer of cargo onto an onshore supply vessel outside the 12nm range could result in the onshore supply vessel being considered as an exposed conveyance and subject to Biosecurity control. Vessel Operators or Shipping Agents need to contact the Conveyance Maritime team for further advice.

While pratique has been granted for the vessel, the cargo and some persons or goods may continue to be subject to biosecurity control. The submission of additional documentation or inspection by a biosecurity officer may be required.

The following documents provide further information and a visual guide of the pratique process across non-commercial and commercial vessels, including cruise vessels.

Download

Pratique Framework – Vessels (PDF 164 KB)
Pratique Framework – Vessels (DOCX 72 KB)

Pratique diagram: Non-commercial and commercial vessels, including cruise vessel (PDF 183 KB)
Pratique diagram: Non-commercial and commercial vessels, including cruise vessel (DOCX 122 KB)

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip
Page last updated: 16 November 2023

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram