22 December 2025
Who does this notice affect?
All vessel owners, operators, masters and shipping agents who represent international commercial vessels, including cruise vessels, preparing for arrival into Australian territory.
What has changed?
The Maritime and Aircraft Reporting System (MARS) remotely monitors vessel arrivals and departures within Australian territory using third party data, including onboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) equipment, terrestrial AIS receivers and low-earth orbit satellites. AIS and satellite data tracks vessel movements, improving the accuracy of arrival times displayed in MARS.
Recent enhancements to MARS enable vessels, subject to the positive pratique process, to be automatically granted pratique when reaching 12 nautical miles from the first arrival port (first point of entry) in Australian territory.
Australia works with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries to manage public health risks, in line with International Health Regulations 2005. MARS process improvements align with legislative requirements under the Biosecurity Act 2015, ensuring health information and vessel movements are assessed in accordance with Australia’s biosecurity and human health obligations.
The recent enhancements affect how MARS:
- Records and updates arrival and departure times. MARS may automatically update the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA), independently of information provided in the pre-arrival report (PAR).
- Processes service requests (e.g. disembarking crew, release from biosecurity control), for both first arrival port and subsequent port visits during a vessel’s current Australian voyage.
The department is continuing to work with third party data providers to ensure MARS reflects the most accurate and up-to-date arrival information.
What this means for masters and shipping agents - Action required
First point of entry visits
This means:
- The arrival times in MARS may differ from the original times reported in the PAR.
- Masters and shipping agents may encounter conflicts when submitting service requests if the ETA differs from the original PAR.
Before submitting a service request into MARS, masters and agents should review the ETA vessel arrival information in MARS and update as necessary.
- Search for the vessel and voyage in MARS to confirm details for the vessel’s current visit to an Australian port.
- Confirm the actual expected arrival time.
- Update arrival time in MARS or submit an Itinerary Update Form, available from the MARS Offline Forms webpage.
Subsequent port visits
- For vessels visiting subsequent Australian ports, the arrival date and visit status may update to ‘Arrived’ automatically, shortly after the vessel departs the previous Australian port. Service requests can still be submitted for these visits.
- Masters and agents must check voyage and visit details in MARS to confirm the dates when submitting these requests.
Questions about MARS and ETA changes?
Contact the NMC: Email: MaritimeNC@aff.gov.au. Phone: 1300 004 604 (within Australian) or +61 8 8201 6185 (outside Australia).
Further information
- Refer to our related and recently published Import Industry Advice Notice 359-2025: Enhancement to Maritime and Aircraft Reporting System (MARS) vessel monitoring and pratique process.
- The vessel pratique process explained
- MARS user guides for masters and shipping agents are published on the MARS communications and training materials page.
- View the Vessels webpages for information on Australia’s biosecurity reporting obligations and responsibilities.
Reminder to vessel masters and shipping agents
- Read and understand the Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) directions and conditions and keep a copy of the current document 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 crew/passengers, must be reported via MARS or to the National Maritime Centre (NMC) as soon as practicable.
- Ensure the correct port, billing and crew agencies are correctly entered in MARS for accurate billing at each disembarkation port.
- A failure to report accurately or comply with a requirement under the Biosecurity Act 2015 may result in penalties, including infringement notices, civil penalties or criminal prosecutions.
Get in touch
Contact the department’s National Maritime Centre (NMC) by email maritimenc@aff.gov.au or phone: 1300 004 605 (in Australia) or +61 8 8201 6185 (outside Australia).