14 January 2025
Who does this notice affect?
Stakeholders associated with importing containers and break bulk goods into Australia including Country Action List (CAL) goods that require a mandatory on wharf biosecurity inspection prior to movement. This includes customs brokers, importers and transport and logistics companies, stevedores, and Biosecurity Industry Participants (BIPs).
What has changed?
The department continually reviews highly compliant, low biosecurity risk functions to find operational efficiencies for both industry and biosecurity inspection activities. The department has recently reviewed the requirement for biosecurity officer verification of tarped goods prior to movement off-wharf.
From 14 January 2025, the requirement for a biosecurity officer to perform a tarping verification will be removed for sea containers and breakbulk goods (including CAL) that have been inspected on-wharf. Once goods have been tarped, they are permitted to move immediately to the nominated Approved Arrangement (AA) site without further biosecurity intervention. To support this change, new biosecurity directions and comments will be issued for in scope goods.
Goods directed to remain on wharf and to be tarped for (example, awaiting export for not meeting seasonal pest measures or specific commodity import conditions) will remain subject to relevant departmental verification activities.
The department anticipates that this change will provide greater flexibility in how industry and BIPs operate their business, with less reliance on biosecurity officer availability and schedules, resulting in reduced on wharf dwell times, departmental fees and any associated third party charges. The change will also allow the department to reallocate biosecurity officers and their expertise towards higher biosecurity risk activities and emerging risk pathways.
Industry responsibilities for tarped goods
The new process will require the receiving AA site to perform a visual verification of the tarping on arrival. Any biosecurity issues with the tarping is a reportable biosecurity incident and should be reported as soon as practicable. There is no requirement to report tarping that does not present biosecurity concerns. Prompt reporting of these incidents will allow the department to more quickly assess the level of risk and undertake any further risk management.
The verification of tarping on arrival must be completed by an accredited person under the AA. Information on accreditation can be found on the departments Training and Accreditation for approved arrangements requirements webpage.
Industry reference guide for tarping imported goods
The department has developed an Industry reference guide for tarping imported goods to assist industry in meeting the requirements for tarping goods. The industry reference guide for tarping imported goods and information on how to report is available on the department’s website: Arrival of goods in Australia.
Further information
- General information on Country Action List (CAL) requirements can be found on the departments website: agriculture.gov.au
- If further information about CAL goods and the tarping changes is required please contact the department via email: schscargopolicy@aff.gov.au
- For further information about general containers, breakbulk goods and the tarping changes contact the department via seacargopolicy@aff.gov.au