1 September 2022
Who does this notice affect?
All vessel owners, operators, master’s, and shipping agents who represent international commercial vessels, including cruise vessels for the purposes of Australian biosecurity clearance.
What has changed?
The conditions on the Pratique section of the Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) have been updated with legislative requirements of the Biosecurity Act 2015.
These changes relate to vessels that have not reported illness on the Pre-Arrival Report (PAR) or on a Human Health Update (HHU) prior to entering Australian Territory and are subject to the positive pratique process.
The updated conditions allow for a vessel to undertake loading or unloading of goods or people at the port precinct, if the vessel has not been activated in Maritime Arrivals Reporting System (MARS) as ‘arrived’, at the time of berthing. These changes are effective immediately.
New directions will be issued on the Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) for vessels that are subject to the positive pratique process, and will state:
- After PAR Submission, Prior to Pratique being granted
The “vessel name” is subject to the positive pratique process. On arrival at a first point of entry, this vessel will be subject to positive pratique, meaning that pratique is automatically granted, by operation of s 48(2) of the Act. At the boundary of the Port Precinct the vessel will have approval to discharge or load cargo and approval to embark or disembark travellers (all passengers and crew).
The vessel's master or agent must notify the department as soon as practicable if any travellers on board have signs or symptoms of a listed human disease. The vessel master or agent should notify the department immediately if any traveler (all passengers and crew) on board reports a change to their health status. The Quarantine Signal (letter Q in the International Code of Signals) is not required to be displayed. Note For commercial vessels the pratique status of a vessel can change from positive to negative pratique prior to arrival at the boundary of the 12nm if an illness is declared.
- When Pratique is Granted
“The vessel name” is subject to the positive pratique process. On arrival at a first point of entry, this vessel has been granted pratique automatically, by operation of s 48(2) of the Act. At the boundary of the Port Precinct the vessel will have approval to discharge or load cargo and approval to embark or disembark travellers (all passengers and crew).
The vessel's master or agent must notify the department as soon as practicable if any travellers on board have signs or symptoms of a listed human disease. The vessel master or agent should notify the department immediately if any traveler (all passengers and crew) on board reports a change to their health status.” The Quarantine Signal (letter Q in the International Code of Signals) is not required to be displayed.
Pratique Framework:
- Commercial vessels are no longer granted pratique at the time of submission of the Pre-Arrival Report (PAR).
- Commercial vessels (excluding cruise vessels) are subject to the positive or negative pratique process until arrival, which, for biosecurity purposes, is when the vessel enters Australian territorial waters, 12 nautical miles (NM) from the Australian coastline.
- Reformed Australian negative pratique arrangements have been mandated as of 3 March 2022.
- Pratique is granted automatically via MARS on arrival where there are no human health issues (positive pratique process), excluding all cruise vessels and non-commercial vessels.
- Where human health issues are reported, pratique is not granted until a biosecurity officer has assessed the biosecurity risk (negative pratique process).
- Once a vessel has arrived (within 12 NM), subsequent Human Health Updates do not change the pratique process.
- If pratique has been granted via the positive pratique process and an ill passenger/crew or death on board is subsequently reported, pratique cannot be revoked. This information is reported to and managed by a Human Biosecurity Officer.
- If pratique has not been granted and a subsequent Human Health Update reports no ill passenger/crew or death on board, a biosecurity officer must grant pratique manually via the negative pratique process.
- Commercial vessels including cruise vessels must continue to provide a PAR in writing, via MARS.
What do you need to do?
Continue to complete vessel PAR and Human Health updates in MARS as per usual.
As an alternative to direct MARS access, offline forms can be used by vessel masters or officers where there is limited or unreliable internet connectivity to meet pre-arrival reporting obligations.
Vessel reporting requirements and the Biosecurity Act 2015
Vessel masters and shipping agents are reminded:
- To read and understand the Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) directions and conditions and keep a copy of the current version on board the vessel, for the duration of the voyage in Australia.
- Any changes in circumstances during the voyage in Australian waters, particularly changes to the human health of traveler’s and crew, must be submitted via MARS or reported to the NMC as soon as practicable.
- A failure to report accurately or comply with a requirement under the Biosecurity Act may result in penalties, including infringement notices, civil penalties, or criminal prosecutions.
Further information
Contact the department’s National Maritime Centre (NMC) by email or phone
1300 004 605 (in Australia) or +61 8 8201 6185 (outside Australia).
More details about Vessel Pratique are available on the department’s website.
See the Department of Health website: www.health.gov.au for the latest key contact information, travel advice and the collection of factsheets for industry and the general public (Resources) on Listed Human Diseases.
Detailed information in the Negative Pratique instrument https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2022L00234.