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Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Import
  4. Arrival of goods in Australia
  5. Clearance and inspection of goods
  6. Container and break-bulk discharge

Sidebar first - Import

  • Clearance and inspection
    • Abandoned goods notice
    • Air courier fees
    • Cargo compliance verification
    • Documentary requirements for imported goods
      • Lodgement of import documentation via email
      • Entity Identifier (AEI)
    • Clearance of cargo containers
    • Container and break bulk discharge
      • Notification form for container and break bulk arrival/s
    • Compliance-Based Intervention Scheme (CBIS)
    • Highly Compliant Importer (HCI) scheme
    • Request for biosecurity inspection at non-Approved Arrangement site
    • Request for inspection form
    • Request for permission to dispose of goods/conveyance

Container and break-bulk discharge

Break-bulk discharge

A departmental biosecurity officer must receive notification prior to the discharge of break-bulk cargo.

Biosecurity officers conduct surveillance inspections of break-bulk cargo to ensure freedom from contaminants that pose a biosecurity risk. Break-bulk cargo or non-containerised cargo, including new motor vehicles, must be examined externally for soil and other contamination and treated if necessary.

To facilitate the biosecurity risk assessment on break-bulk cargo being discharged form vessels, provide your regional office with:

  • vessel name, Lloyd registration no., voyage no., port and berth of discharge
  • date and times when discharging/delivering cargo
  • marks and description of break-bulk being discharged and delivered
  • general cargo description and quantity
  • if direct lifting ('under the hook delivery') is to occur, date, times and contact detail.
  • any dunnage accompanying the consignment

Provide discharge details of break-bulk cargo to your regional office by email or fax at least 24 hours prior to vessel arrival on weekdays and by 1400hrs on Fridays for weekend discharge.

The Notification of container and break-bulk arrival/s form is an example of what may be used to provide the department with notification of the arrival of break-bulk cargo. 

After providing us with these details, biosecurity officers will target specific cargo for external examination and, if required, order contaminated cargo to be treated prior to the cargo being released from the discharge/wharf area.

We seek your cooperation with this request. Failure to supply the required information within the requested timeframe may significantly delay the release of cargo.

Contact a biosecurity officer in your region with any questions about surveillance of break-bulk cargo.

Container discharge (at non-dedicated container terminals)

The department must receive notification prior to the discharge of containers at non-dedicated container terminals.

The Notification of container and break-bulk arrival/s form can also be used to advise the biosecurity officer about container discharges at non-dedicated container terminals. Please complete this form as appropriate and forward to a biosecurity officer in your region.

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry regional contacts for container/break-bulk discharge

CE Region - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Sydney02 9032 0513N/ASydney
Newcastle02 4935 6700N/ANewcastle
Port Kembla02 4258 1150
0409 049 665
02 4258 1151Port Kembla
NE Region - Break-Bulk Notifications
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Brisbane07 3895 9726
0400 919 001
07 3895 9727AAT Bookings
NE Region - BNE - Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Brisbane07 3895 9777
0400 919 001
07 3895 9727FI Appointments
NE Region - REGIONAL - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Bundaberg07 4252 251107 4153 1457Biosecurity Bundaberg
Townsville07 4789 788807 4789 7821Biosecurity Townsville
Gladstone07 4976 660007 4976 6600Biosecurity Gladstone
Mackay07 4955 960007 4955 9699Biosecurity Mackay
SE Region - MEL - Break-Bulk Notifications
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Melbourne03 8387 0100, 0417 682 985N/ABreak Bulk Victoria South East Ports
SE Region - MEL - Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Melbourne03 8387 0100N/ACal Screener VIC
 
SE Region - REGIONAL - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Portland03 5523 307703 5523 5697Portland Seaports (Shipping)
Portland Quarantine (Imports)
Hobart03 6233 3352N/ASeaports Tasmania
Devonport03 6421 7622N/ASeaports Tasmania
Burnie03 6434 4016N/ASeaports Tasmania
Bell Bay03 6398 8400N/ASeaports Tasmania
SW Region - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Esperance08 9072 0460 ,
0428 101 316
N/AEsperance Quarantine
Fremantle08 6232 7000N/ACargo Integrity Unit Fremantle
Geraldton08 9965 5786,
0427 001 763
08 9965 4570Geraldton Quarantine
Dampier08 9142 035008 9185 1207Karratha Quarantine
Karratha08 9142 0350
0409 225 805

08 9762 7300
0413 156 965
08 9185 1207

08 9762 7309
Karratha Quarantine

Bunbury Quarantine
Walcott
Bunbury
Albany08 9841 4388
0429 001 208
08 9866 7426Albany Quarantine
Port Hedland08 9132 027508 9173 2743Port Hedland Quarantine
Broome08 9194 1200 0476 801 77608 9193 5236Broome Seaports
SW Region - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Adelaide1800 900 090N/ACargoSA@awe.gov.au
Port Pirie1800 900 090N/ACargoSA@awe.gov.au
Northern Region - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
PortsPhoneFaxE-mail
Darwin08 8998 4995 0409 678 675N/ACargo NT
Cairns07 4030 7852N/ACDO Cairns

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Page last updated: 30 October 2024

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.

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