You are invited to Have Your Say on how we manage offshore treatment providers and our offshore treatment assurance schemes.
This consultation closes at AEST 5pm, Friday 21 April 2023.
Your feedback will help us to review our current system and make sure requirements for treatment providers are simple, streamlined and remain effective for managing the biosecurity risk of imported goods.
This webpage details the requirements for sea containers under Phase 6 of the khapra beetle urgent actions
We are implementing urgent actions to address the risk of khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) entering Australia. The urgent actions are being implemented in phases and will result in changes to import conditions for plant products and sea containers.
Learn more about the sea container changes below.
Phase 6A
As of 12 April 2021, Full Container Load/Full Container Consolidated (FCL/FCX) containers packed with high-risk plant products in a khapra beetle target risk country must be treated offshore using an approved treatment option.
The container must be:
- treated prior to packing, except if using methyl bromide fumigation
- If using methyl bromide fumigation, the container can be treated when empty or when packed (provided it complies with our requirements)
- treated within 21 days prior to export
- accompanied by appropriate certification.
Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the export of the container upon arrival in Australia.
Important: The target of these treatments is the container and not the goods/commodity being shipped within the container. However, the goods may also need to be treated offshore under Phase 3 of the urgent actions. Learn more at: Urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle.
Note:
- ISO tanks, reefers (including non-operational), flat racks, LCL/FAKs and containers imported as empties are excluded from these requirements.
- Refer to the BICON case: Khapra beetle sea container measures for the full requirements.
- In some instances, a sealing declaration may be required.
- See the Summary Flowchart for an overview of these requirements.
As of 12 July 2021, Full Container Load/Full Container Consolidated (FCL/FCX) containers that are packed in a khapra beetle target risk country and will be unpacked in a rural grain growing area of Australia (see below postcode list) must be treated offshore using an approved treatment option. These measures apply to the above containers exported on or from 12 July 2021.
As notified in IAN 232-2021, this measure has been expanded to further minimise the risk of the introduction and spread of khapra beetle to high-risk rural areas.
As part of this, Full Container Load/Full Container Consolidated (FCL/FCX) containers that are packed in a khapra beetle target risk country and will be unpacked in a rural nut growing postcode of Australia (see below postcode list) must be treated offshore using an approved treatment option. This requirement will only apply to containers exported on or after 15 December 2021.
The container must be:
- treated prior to packing, except if using methyl bromide fumigation
- If using methyl bromide fumigation, the container can be treated when empty or when packed (provided it complies with our requirements)
- treated within 21 days prior to export
- accompanied by appropriate certification.
Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the export of the container upon arrival in Australia.
Important: The target of these treatments is the container and not the goods/commodity being shipped within the container. However, the goods may also need to be treated offshore under Phase 3 of the urgent actions. Learn more at: Urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle.
Note:
- ISO tanks, reefers (including non-operational), flat racks, LCL/FAKs and containers imported as empties are excluded from these requirements.
- Refer to the BICON case: Non-commodity cargo clearance for the full requirements.
- In some instances, a sealing declaration may be required.
- In some instances, an importer declaration may be required.
Note:
- Postcodes now included to cover rural nut growing areas are: 4569, 4517, 4518, 4858 and 4560. For split postcodes, measures will apply to the rural areas of the postcode only. Postcode classifications can be found using the department’s postcode classification search tool.
From 15 December 2021, the postcode classification ‘rural/grain growing’ was updated to ‘rural khapra risk’. This classification applies to both rural grain and nut growing areas.
Download
Rural khapra risk areas (PDF 223 KB)
Rural khapra risk areas (DOCX 70 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Khapra beetle target risk countries
The khapra beetle target risk countries are listed below.
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Cyprus
- Egypt
- Ghana
- Greece
- India
- Iran Islamic Republic of
- Iraq
- Israel
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Timor-Leste
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- Yemen
Approved treatment options
The approved treatment options for target risk containers under Phase 6A are detailed below.
NOTE: See the methyl bromide fumigation infographic for a summary of these requirements.
Treatment rate
The container must be fumigated offshore with methyl bromide at
- a dose of 80 g/m³ or above, at 21°C or above, for a minimum of 48 hours, with an end point reading of 20 g/m³ or above OR
- a dose of 88 g/m³ or above, at 16°C or above, for a minimum of 48 hours, with an end point reading of 22 g/m³ or above OR
- a dose of 96 g/m³ or above, at 11°C or above, for a minimum of 48 hours, with an end point reading of 24 g/m³ or above OR
- a dose of 104 g/m³ or above, at 10°C or above, for a minimum of 48 hours, with an end point reading of 26 g/m³ or above.
Treatment requirements
The fumigations/treatments must comply with the following requirements:
- All treatments must be conducted in a gas-tight chamber or sheeted enclosure, with both container doors fully open.
- All treatments must be conducted in accordance with the Methyl Bromide Fumigation Methodology.
- All treatments require 3 monitoring lines as specified in the Methyl Bromide Fumigation Methodology, and 1 extra monitoring line underneath the container. Readings from all 4 monitoring lines must be included on the Record of Fumigation.
- All treatments must be conducted by a treatment provider listed as “acceptable” on the list of offshore treatment providers.
Treating the container and the goods at the same time
For methyl bromide treatments, containers may be treated at the same time as goods/commodities, after the goods/commodities have been loaded into the container. These treatments must still comply with the treatment requirements outlined above, including having 1 extra monitoring line underneath the container, in addition to the 3 monitoring lines required by the Methyl Bromide Fumigation Methodology.
If the commodity being imported also requires methyl bromide treatment, one treatment can be conducted to meet both the container and the commodity treatment conditions, provided the commodity meets the consignment suitability requirements of the Methyl Bromide Fumigation Methodology. To meet both sets of conditions, the highest treatment parameter of each rate must be met.
This includes the:
- dose
- start point concentration
- temperature
- exposure period
- end point concentration reading.
For example, if one treatment was conducted to meet the import conditions for a target risk container AND timber pallets, the highest parameter out of the two treatment rates would need to be met.
Worked example with highest parameter bolded:
Target of fumigation | Dose | Temperature | Exposure period | End point concentration |
---|---|---|---|---|
Container | 80 g/m³ or above | 21°C or above | minimum of 48 hours | 20 g/m3 or above |
Timber pallets | 48 g/m3 or above | 21°C or above | minimum of 24 hours | 14.4 g/m3 or above |
This means that the final rate applied to combined container and timber packaging treatment would be:
- fumigated with a dose of 80 g/m³ or above, at 21°C or above, for a minimum of 48 hours, with an end point reading of 20 g/m3 or above.
Note: Phases 3 and 4 of the urgent actions introduces offshore treatment requirements for high-risk plant products and other risk plant products. Fumigation of the container and goods at the same time may not be an option in some instances. See Urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle webpage for more detail.
NOTE: See the heat treatment infographic for a summary of these requirements.
Treatment rate
The container must be heat treated offshore to at least 60°C for a minimum of 180 minutes.
Treatment requirements
The heat treatment must be conducted:
- in accordance with the Heat Treatment Methodology
- prior to loading the goods/commodity into the container
- in a sheeted enclosure, with one container door open and one container door closed
- with at least one of the temperature sensors positioned within the door hinge of the door that is closed, in the bottom corner underneath the rubber seal
- by a permitted treatment provider.
Note: While the effective heat treatment rate for all life stages of khapra beetle is 60oC for a minimum of two hours, we require three hours to heat treat containers because:
- khapra beetle is often detected between the floorboards and bottom metal rails of sea containers
- in a trial we conducted we found these areas can take longer to reach 60oC than other areas in the container
- it is difficult to position temperature sensors in this area without drilling into the container floor
- in our trial, we also determined that the temperature within the door hinge of the closed door underneath the rubber seal was a suitable proxy for the underfloor area of the container, provided that target temperature was achieved for an additional hour.
NOTE: See the insecticide spray infographic for a summary of these requirements.
Insecticide spray with a product containing the active constituent deltamethrin will be offered as a provisional treatment option only. This means that non-compliance will be monitored closely and will inform the longevity of this treatment method.
As this is a provisional measure, we are strongly encouraging industry to use methyl bromide fumigation or heat treatment over an insecticide spray.
Treatment rate
Prior to packing, the following areas of the sea container must be treated with a suspension concentrate formulated insecticide product, containing the active constituent deltamethrin:
- the internal and external underside of the floor
- the internal and external lower portion of the three walls and doors up to 1m
- the door seals.
The treatment must be applied at a rate of 1 litre spray solution, with a concentration of 0.03% or above, per 20m2, applied as a coarse spray of 350 to 400 microns.
Treatment requirements
The insecticide treatment must be conducted in accordance with the Insecticide Treatment Methodology.
Note: To avoid potential contamination of the products with insecticide, importers should line the interior of the sea container and bag the products.
It is it is the importer's responsibility to ensure that all imported food complies with the Imported Food Control Act 1992 including Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code; and that imported animal and pet food complies with the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code (MRL Standard) Instrument 2019.
Permitted treatment providers
The tables below detail the offshore treatment providers permitted to conduct treatments under the Phase 6A measures.
Note: We are utilising the department’s existing offshore treatment provider assurance schemes to manage the registration and compliance of treatment providers, where possible. Leveraging these schemes will provide us with a greater level of assurance of treatment providers’ ability to conduct the required treatments. This includes both the Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS) and the Offshore Brown Marmorated Stinkbug (BMSB) Treatment Providers Scheme.
Country of treatment | Permitted treatment providers |
---|---|
AFAS countries (includes Sri Lanka & India) |
The treatment must be conducted by an approved AFAS treatment provider, unless the container is accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate.
|
Non-AFAS countries (i.e. all khapra beetle target risk countries except for Sri Lanka & India) |
|
Country of treatment | Permitted treatment providers |
---|---|
All countries |
|
Country of treatment | Permitted treatment providers |
---|---|
All countries |
|
Treatment certification
Treatment certificates for sea container treatments must meet the department’s minimum requirements, as set out in the relevant BICON cases and the relevant treatment methodology. Treatment certificate templates for each treatment are available via the following links:
Notes:
- All treatment providers that are registered with the department will be assigned an AEI number.
- Further information for custom brokers on the use of AEIs for certificates covering khapra beetle sea container treatments can be found on our AEI webpage.
- If a phytosanitary certificate is provided, a treatment certificate issued in accordance with the above requirements is still required.
- We encourage treatment providers to use our treatment certificate templates to ensure they are complaint, which will facilitate clearance of sea containers.
Treatment certificates for sea containers treated with methyl bromide fumigation on or after 30 September 2021, must meet the amended treatment certificate requirements as detailed in the below document. - If using our treatment certificate template, there is no change.
Download
Amended methyl bromide fumigation treatment certificate requirements (DOCX 74 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Sealing declaration
A sealing declaration may be required in some instances. Ensure you use the sealing declaration template.
Download
Sealing declaration template (PDF 45 KB)
Sealing declaration template (DOCX 39 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
1. To demonstrate that Phase 6A measures do not apply to a container
As outlined in the summary flowchart, a sealing declaration is required for certain containers to confirm the packing location. For example, sea containers that are packed in a non-khapra beetle country (i.e. containers packed with high-risk plant products or containers destined for a rural khapra risk area of Australia) but:
- the port of loading country is listed as a khapra beetle target risk country on the Bill of Lading; OR
- the supplier/exporter/consignor/shipper is listed as being from a khapra beetle target risk country on the Bill of Lading.
2. To demonstrate that a container has been treated within 21 days prior to export
The date of export is defined in the Minimum documentary and import declaration requirements policy. Under this definition, a consignment is considered to be exported either:
- when it is lodged with the freight forwarder, shipping company/airline, charter operator or an appointed agent in the country of origin, for ultimate destination in Australia
- when it is shipped on board the vessel
- when it is packed in a container and sealed in preparation for export.
As an example, if the container is packed and sealed within 21 days of treatment, the container meets the treatment within 21 days of export requirement. To demonstrate that this requirement has been met a sealing declaration is required. Please refer to the section 9.1 of the Minimum documentary and Import declaration requirements policy for guidance on other options to provide documentary evidence to demonstrate the date of export.
Importer declaration
In some instances, we may seek an importer declaration to verify the unpack location of the sea container. This declaration may be requested in instances where the goods delivery address indicates a rural khapra risk area but nil khapra concerns have been identified by a broker or where import declarations are amended to a metropolitan or rural non-khapra risk area. When an importer declaration is requested, ensure you use the below importer declaration template.
Download
Importer declaration template (DOCX 33 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Onshore treatment
Onshore treatment will not be currently offered as a standard practice as movement of untreated containers currently poses an unacceptable risk. This is because khapra beetle could be dislodged from the container into the environment when moving the container from the port to a treatment facility.
Onshore risk mitigation options will only be considered in exceptional circumstances or when the department’s in-transit policy is enacted.
In-transit policy
The khapra beetle in-transit policy will apply to containers impacted by Phase 6A. This means that if a treatment provider is listed as suspended or unacceptable or under investigation, all treatment certification issued by them are considered unacceptable from the date of their change in status. The date of change in status is the date published on our website, regardless of the date of treatment or the date of issue on the certificate. This includes certification issued both before and after the change in their status, for goods that have not yet been cleared through the border. In this situation, containers may be subject to on-wharf risk containment measures prior to onshore treatment using methyl bromide. Both the goods and the container will require treatment and de-consolidation of the container will generally not be permitted.
Exceptional circumstances
Goods that are imported for the use of delivering emergency services are considered an exceptional circumstance. In this situation, onshore risk management options will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Importers are required to submit any exemption requests in writing to the department (SPP@agriculture.gov.au) and receive approval prior to unloading goods in the Australian Territory. Please note that submission of a request does not mean automatic approval is granted.
Additional material
The below resources provide an overview of the sea container measures.
In 2021, we ran information sessions on the sea container measures, including the approved treatment options for sea containers:
- 23, 25 and 26 February – Phase 6A – sea container requirements
- 26 and 29 March – Phase 6A – methyl bromide
- 30 March – Phase 6A – heat treatment
- 31 March – Phase 6A – insecticide treatment
- 16 August – Phase 6A – sea containers.
If you would like further detail on the information sessions, including copies of the presentations or questions and answers from these sessions please get in contact by emailing SPP@agriculture.gov.au (please title the subject line of the email with ‘Khapra urgent actions’).
Check if your container needs to comply with the khapra beetle Phase 6A sea container measures using the below flowchart.
Note: If you require a sealing declaration (as per the flowchart), ensure you use the sealing declaration template.
Download
Khapra Beetle Phase 6A Summary Flowchart (PDF 186 KB)
Khapra Beetle Phase 6A Summary Flowchart (DOCX 51 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
The following posters on sea container cleanliness have been developed for your use. Help us keep khapra beetle out of Australia by sharing them with your networks.
Poster 1: Look out for khapra beetle
Download
English Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (PDF 1.2 MB)
English Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (DOCX 1.5 MB)
Arabic Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (PDF 1.4 MB)
Arabic Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (DOCX 1.1 MB)
Chinese Simplified Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (PDF 1.4 MB)
Chinese Simplified Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (DOCX 1.1 MB)
Chinese Traditional Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (PDF 1.4 MB)
Chinese Traditional Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (DOCX 1.1 MB)
Vietnamese Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (PDF 1.4 MB)
Vietnamese Poster: Look out for khapra beetle (DOCX 1.1 MB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Poster 2: Seven tips for keeping containers clean
Download
English Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (PDF 152 KB)
English Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (DOCX 47 KB)
Arabic Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (PDF 117 KB)
Arabic Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (DOC 70 KB)
Chinese Simplified Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (PDF134 KB)
Chinese Simplified Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (DOC 50 KB)
Chinese Traditional Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (PDF143 KB)
Chinese Traditional Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (DOC 50 KB)
French Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (PDF 160 KB)
French Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (DOC 67 KB)
Russian Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (PDF 139 KB)
Russian Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (DOC 55 KB)
Spanish Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (PDF 156 KB)
Spanish Poster: 7 tips for keeping containers clean (DOC 69 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
The following treatment infographics have been developed for your use. Help us keep khapra beetle out of Australia by sharing them with your networks.
Download
Methyl bromide treatment requirements (PDF 202 KB)
Methyl bromide treatment requirements (DOCX 52 KB)
Heat treatment requirements (PDF 156 KB)
Heat treatment requirements (DOCX 51 KB)
Insecticide spray treatment requirements (PDF 193 KB)
Insecticide spray treatment requirements (DOCX 51 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
The following infographics have been developed for your use. They detail AEI reporting and onshore assessment requirements.
Download
AEI reporting requirements for khapra beetle sea container treatments (PDF 267 KB)
AEI reporting requirements for khapra beetle sea container treatments (DOCX 52 KB)
Khapra beetle sea container measures: Onshore assessment (PDF 395 KB
Khapra beetle sea container measures: Onshore assessment (DOCX 56 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
What does a snail almost the size of a dinner plate, a beetle smaller than a grain of rice, and an ant with a fiery sting have in common? They are all excellent hitchhiker pests!
Keeping sea containers clean is critical to stopping the spread of hitchhiker pests. Learn how you can help us fight the battle against hitchhiker pests.
Video transcript - Sea container cleanliness (DOCX 37 KB)
Sea container cleanliness video: Chinese (Mandarin) translation
Translation courtesy of Shenzhen Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, China.
Video transcript - Sea container cleanliness: Chinese (Mandarin) translation (DOCX 230 KB
Phase 6B
Phase 6B will introduce measures to a broader range of containers (i.e. all high-risk containers). The implementation date of Phase 6B will be announced in due course. Further information about these measures, including details on consultation, will be made available on our website.
Further information
If you:
- want to import plant products into Australia, it is important that you check BICON
- want to receive updates on the implementation of the urgent actions register to receive BICON alerts and IANs.
For:
- questions and information related directly to offshore khapra treatments, please email offshoretreatments@agriculture.gov.au
- any further questions, please contact us on 1800 900 090 or via email SPP@agriculture.gov.au (please title the subject line of the email with ‘Plant Tier 2 – Khapra urgent actions’).