30 July 2010
Industry Advice Notice No. G2010/11
Container liners and empty container inspection
This Industry Advice Notice (IAN) provides additional information to previous IAN 1999/8 ‘Container liners and empty container inspection’ in accordance with schedule 5, part 2 of the Export Control (Plants and Plant Products) Orders 2005.
Background
As a result of a shortage of export quality shipping containers in 1999, and at the request of industry, AQIS assessed the use of two types of liners to upgrade containers. At the time, the program released IAN 1999/8, which allowed for the use two types of board liners. This IAN provides information for the use of additional types of liners as outlined below.
Conditions
Conditions for the use of pre-fabricated liners remain and are:
- An AQIS authorised officer must inspect and pass empty container units.
- The use of a liner may be used to overcome superficial problems such as flaky paint, light rust, light transferable stains but not odours or infestible residues such as plant material or soil.
Liners can be considered suitable if correctly installed. Shipping containers will need to be inspected by an AQIS approved officer prior to the liner being installed, and monitored by the exporter during loading to ensure the liner effectively negates against non-infestible residues and materials as well as defects such as stains, rust and flaking paint. Liners that are installed and complete prior to loading can be used for both bagged products and suitable bulk grain products, however progressively assembled boards will only be considered suitable for bagged products only. In the case of woven bladder liners, they may be installed at the time of inspection and the container sealed and loaded at a later date with bulk commodities. Please note that woven liners have a limited capacity to prevent transfer of moisture, hence they may be considered an effective barrier for light oil stains only.
Importing country requirements vary and AQIS advises exporters to seek advice from the importing country on any conditions or requirements they have for the use of container liners prior to export.
Grain & Seed Exports Program
Telephone: 02 6272 3229
Facsimile: 02 6272 5423