174-2019 - Onshore intervention for non-compliant offshore Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) treated consignments

31 October 2019

Who does this notice affect?

Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries—including treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers, principle agents and master consolidators—associated with importing goods that require increased intervention during the 2019-20 BMSB seasonal measures.

What has changed?

The department has identified approximately 200 treatments conducted by registered offshore treatment providers that did not meet the department’s BMSB treatment requirements.

To ensure the biosecurity risk presented by these consignments is adequately addressed, they will require re-treatment on arrival in Australia or export where the consignment is not suitable for re-treatment onshore.

All affected treatment certificates are invalid and have been withdrawn from BMSB risk season lodgements system by the department. Six hard sided containers that are affected will be directed for onshore re-treatment or export, and stakeholders for these goods will be advised through AIMS directions.

Goods that arrive as break bulk, or in open top or on flat rack containers that have been affected may be treated as an exceptional circumstance by the department as the client has had their goods treated in good faith. These containers will be permitted to discharge and unload on arrival, providing that assurance can be given to the department that the goods can be immediately contained (e.g. envelope tarped) on arrival prior to onshore treatment. These goods may be subject to random inspection after onshore treatment.

For goods arriving as break bulk, or in open top or on flat rack containers, a risk management plan must be submitted to the department via email to seasonal pest policy, prior to the goods arriving into Australia and before discharge. The plan must include:

• Details on how the goods will be contained to manage the potential BMSB risk within 24 hours of arrival (for example, sufficient tarping to contain the risk such as envelope tarping), and
• Confirmation that the goods can be treated within 48 hours by a department approved onshore treatment provider either at the wharf or, at an approved arrangement site within the port precinct.

A list of the containers affected by this action as at 29 October 2019 is included below as ‘Attachment A’. 

Importantly, the offshore treatment providers that treated these consignments have not been suspended or withdrawn from the Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme. The treatment providers are permitted to continue to conduct BMSB treatments.

Re-treatment onshore or export has previously been applied to consignments where non-compliance has been identified and will apply if future non-compliance is identified. A number of consignments treated in Turkey, Germany, Belgium and the United States are currently affected by this action.

The list will be updated if any additional containers requiring re-treatment on arrival are identified. Industry Advice Notices will not be published each time the list changes.

Further information

For further information on these requirements, visit the Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme webpage or contact BMSB Treatments.

Attachment A

Affected container numbers requiring re-treatment on arrival in Australia or export where the consignment is not suitable for re-treatment onshore: