Updates to the Stink Bug Season and Rural Container Tailgate Inspections.
Seasonal Measures for Stink Bugs (BMSB)
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is preparing for the upcoming Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) season.
During the BMSB risk season, measures will apply to targeted goods manufactured and shipped from high risk countries, that have been shipped between 01 September and 30 April (inclusive) and to vessels that berth, load, or tranship from those countries within the same period.
Under ‘What’s New’ DAFF announces these changes for the 2022-23 BMSB risk season:
- Emerging risk countries will apply to China and UK only.
- Chapters 94 & 95 to be subject to random inspections (emerging risk countries only).
- 120 hours policy been amended to allow onshore re-treatment in certain situations where goods have been rolled (with evidence).
- Inspect (unpack) Inspections will now apply instead of Secure Seals intact inspections at Approved Arrangements.
To minimise any delays, and associated industry costs that may be incurred for onshore treatment, importers are encouraged to treat their goods offshore prior to arrival into Australia.
To read DAFF’s updated BMSB web page click HERE
Update to Rural Container Tailgate Inspections
From time to time, DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) modifies their directives regarding the correct reporting of shipping containers destined for rural areas and the requirement for tailgate inspections on them. Today they have issued Industry Advice Notice (IAN) 138-2022 titled: Industry performed rural tailgate inspection.
The IAN advises that DAFF has released a new class of approved arrangement – 14.4 Rural tailgate inspection – and integrated this arrangement into their Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) system. Class 14.4 authorises importers and their Customs Brokers to perform the rural tailgate inspection on certain container types destined for unpack in a rural destination.
Class 14.4 provides DAFF with the confidence that biosecurity risk to rural areas continues to be appropriately managed, with prescribed risk management measures and controls through the approved arrangement conditions. Class 14.4 will also allow the redirection of their officers’ expertise away from low-risk inspections and towards higher biosecurity risk goods.
Container types included in class 14.4
Class 14.4 is limited to dry box, reefer, ISO tanker and open top containers:
- intended for delivery to a location that is within a postcode classified by the department as a rural area, and
- imported with compliant commodity documentation, where specified in biosecurity import conditions applicable to the goods within the container, and
- imported with compliant non-commodity documentation, and
- requiring rural tailgate inspection to address rural concerns only.
Exclusions: Containers from FMD Areas
The emergence and rapid spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia has changed the risk profile for passengers and goods arriving in Australia. As a result, containers with the load port/origin of Indonesia will be “out of scope” for the class 14.4. Containers from Indonesia that require a rural tailgate inspection must continue to be performed by a DAFF biosecurity officer at approved sites.
For more information about international shipping and Customs clearance – no matter where your imports originate from – contact us here at Colless Young. As licensed Customs Brokers and International Freight Forwarders we offer correct, professional advice on all your import and export trade transactions. We are based in Brisbane and provide a complete range of logistics services – including quarantine clearance & fumigation treatments – for airfreight and sea cargo at all Australian ports and airports.
