Seasonal measures for the 2023-24 brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) risk season for goods shipped as ocean Freight to Australia

Why?        Due to the rapid expansion of BMSB in the previous season throughout Europe & North America.

How?        DAFF uses a range of scientific, intelligence & evidence-based information, and data collected from 2022/2023 Season onshore verification activities.

When?     The measures apply to certain goods shipped from 1 September 2023 & 30 April 2024, that will require Treatment regardless of arrival date.  

NOTE: The shipped on board date, as indicated on the ocean bill of lading, is the date used to determine when goods have been shipped.  “Gate in” dates & times will not be accepted.

What?      Any target high risk or target risk goods which are manufactured in or shipped from the target risk countries will be subject to the BMSB seasonal measures.  Any Vessel that berths at, loads, or tranships from the target. Risk countries is also subject to the BMSB seasonal measures.

What’s New?     Addition to Uzbekistan to the Target Risk Country list.

High Risk Target Countries - 39

*Including Japan heightened vessel surveillance as the only measure.
Mandatory treatment measures apply to Target High Risk Goods

Emerging Risk Countries - 2

China - random inspections will apply to goods shipped between 1 September to 31 December (inclusive)
United Kingdom - random inspections will apply to goods shipped between 1 December to 30 April (inclusive)In addition to the target high risk goods, chapters 39, 94 and 95 ill be subject to random inspections

Important Note:

Australia & New Zealand will not be conducting BMSB treatments for each other.

For example, if goods are exported from NZ for not meeting BMSB conditions, they will not be permitted to be treated in AU, and Vice versa.

Vessel surveillance and inspections

All roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) vessels will be subject to heightened vessel surveillance during the season. All ro-ro vessels that berth at, load, or tranship in target risk countries from 1 September 2023 to 30 April 2024 (inclusive) and that arrive in Australian will be required to:

• Conduct self-inspections and respond to specific questions as part of the pre-arrival reporting requirements, and
• Undergo a mandatory seasonal pest inspection on arrival in Australia.

List of high risk countries

Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan*, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland Turkey, Ukraine, United States of America, Uzbekistan.

Goods

A full list of the tariffs for the 2023–24 season is available on the last page of this document.

• Target high risk goods will require mandatory treatment
• Target risk goods will not require mandatory treatment
• All target high risk and target risk goods will be subject to increased onshore intervention through random inspection.

Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme

Offshore treatment providers in target risk countries must first register and be approved by the department. 
Goods that are treated by a treatment provider in a target risk country that is not registered with the scheme will be directed for export on arrival.
Goods treated in a non-target risk country may use a treatment provider that is not registered and approved under the Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme.
Treatment certificates issued by a treatment provider in non-target risk country will be accepted unless the:

• treatment provider is listed as ‘suspended’, 'withdrawn' or ‘under review’ on or
• unregistered treatment provider is listed as ‘unacceptable’ or ‘under review’ on the List of treatment providers.

Fraudulent certificates

Any consignment identified with a fraudulent certificate will be directed for onshore treatment (if permitted) or exported.

Mandatory offshore treatment

Break bulk consignments

Mandatory offshore treatment of target high risk goods shipped as break bulk cargo, including goods shipped in open top containers or on flat rack containers, will be required.

Untreated break bulk will be denied discharge and be directed for export on arrival.

Circumstances where goods may not be subject to the seasonal measures:

• Containers packed & sealed prior to 1 September (a sealing declaration is required)
• Goods stored or transported to non-target risk countries prior to 1 September (evidence required)
• New, Unused and not Field Tested (NUFT) goods manufactured from 01/12/2023:
  • must have a manufacture start date
  • relates to goods classified under tariff chapters 82,84, 85,86,87 and 89 only

NOTE: Goods must be accompanied by relevant supporting evidence.

Documentary and evidence requirements

BMSB sealing declarations

This document can be used to demonstrate that goods were sealed inside a container before 1 September or after treatment,and is required where:

• Goods were packed and sealed in a container before 1 September but shipped after this date.
• The bill of lading does not state the ‘shipped on board date’.
• Target high risk goods were manufactured, packed and sealed in a container in a non-target risk country but have been shipped from a target risk country.
• Goods were sealed inside a container within 120 hours of treatment occurring offshore. 

BMSB 120 hour tranship declarations by road and by sea

These documents can be used to demonstrate the amount of time spent in a target risk country for break bulk, open top or flat rack containers subject to BMSB measure and are required where:

• Goods were treated in a target risk country and shipped to a non-target risk country within 120 hours of treatment. 
• Goods were treated in a non-target risk country but transhipped through a target risk country within 120 hours of treatment.
• Goods were shipped from a non-target risk country, transhipped through a target risk country, but did not spend longer than 120 hours in the target risk country. Declaration templates must be completed by either the exporter, freight forwarder, shipping company, offshore treatment provider or manufacturer at the port of origin.

Declarations made by Australian based importer/brokers will not be accepted by the department.

Note: Container tracking information may be used as a supplementary means of confirming ‘shipped on board date’. It cannot be used as the primary form of evidence. 
Container tracking information is insufficient for demonstrating when goods were sealed in a container.

Mandatory offshore or onshore treatment 

Containerised cargo shipped as LCL and FAK containers 

Mandatory offshore and onshore treatment of target high risk goods shipped in sealed six hard sided containers will be required. LCL and FAK containers with target high risk goods will be managed at the container level for BMSB risk prior to deconsolidation. This is based on the country the HBL originates from. All LCL/FAK are subject to pre-arrival reporting about treatment – pre-treated containers with no risk may be free to deconsolidate and continue in the supply chain, while non-treated risk containers will not be permitted any deconsolidation and treated at the container level, with all consignments. Each container will be managed at its highest risk level (e.g. 1 consignment out of 20 being a risk – all 20 are a risk)

Containers seeking onshore treatment will also be subject to early reporting and will be permitted to move to an Approved Arrangement site for treatment at the container level (deconsolidation or segregation of goods will not be permitted).

Agriculture Website

Containerised cargo (other than LCL and FAK containers) 

Mandatory offshore or onshore treatment of target high risk goods shipped in sealed six hard sided containers will be required. Risk applies to manufacture country / origin of the goods, not only shipped-from country.
Deconsolidation or segregation of goods will not be permitted.

Treatment options 

The approved treatment options for BMSB risk are:

• heat treatment
• methyl bromide fumigation
• sulfuryl fluoride fumigation

For information on approved treatment rates, visit here.

What are my options if my container is deemed not suitable for onshore treatment?

Once a department approved (Class12) treatment provider has notified the department that in-container treatment will not be effective, the department must either:

• Direct the goods to an AA Class 4.7 site for a secure unpack to remedy the issues that originally prevented treatment at container level to be carried out. This may include, but is not limited to containers that are packed too tightly or shrink-wrapped cargo that will not allow treatment to be effective.
• Have the goods exported

In either case, the importer will incur substantial additional costs beyond our control.

Safeguarding Arrangements Scheme

BMSB seasonal measures, a Safeguarding Arrangements Scheme (the scheme) is available to industry stakeholders/importers. The scheme provides an alternate clearance pathway for goods imported as sea cargo during the BMSB risk season. 

It also provides recognition of the ability of approved participants to manage seasonal hitchhiker pest risk offshore, from the point of manufacture to the point of embarkation in line with eligibility criteria. For more information on the scheme, visit here. 

Target high risk goods

Goods that fall within the following tariff classifications have been categorised as target high risk goods and will require mandatory treatment for BMSB. 

• 44 - Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal 
• 45 - Cork and articles of cork 
• 57 - Carpets and other textile floor coverings 
• 68 - Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials 
• 69 - Ceramic products – including sub chapters I and II 
• 70 – Glass and glass ware 
• 72 - Iron and steel - including sub chapters I, II, III, IV 
• 73 - Articles of iron or steel  
• 74 - Copper and articles thereof 
• 75 - Nickel and articles thereof 
• 76 - Aluminium and articles thereof 
• 78 - Lead and articles thereof
• 79 - Zinc and articles thereof 
• 80 - Tin and articles thereof 
• 81 - Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof
• 82 - Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal 
• 83 - Miscellaneous articles of base metals 
• 84 - Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof 
• 85 - Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles 
• 86 - Railway or tramway locomotives, rollingstock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds 
• 87 - Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, And parts and accessories thereof 
• 88 - Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof 
• 89 - Ships, boats and floating structures 
  
  _{* subject to change throughout the season; refer to the Agriculture  Website for latest information}   

Goods that fall within the following tariff classifications have been categorised as target risk goods and will not require mandatory treatment. Target risk goods will however be subject to increased onshore intervention through random inspection

• 27 - Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes
• 28 - Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals, of radioactive elements or of isotopes - including sub chapters I, II, III, IV and V
• 29 - Organic chemicals - including sub chapters I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII and XIII
• 38 - Miscellaneous chemical products
• 39 - Plastics and articles thereof - – including sub chapters I and II
• 40 - Rubber and articles thereof
• 48 - Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard
• 49 - Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans
• 56 - Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns; twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof.
  
  _{*subject to change throughout the season; refer to the agriculture Website for latest information}

Goods shipped as a mixture of air and sea cargo

Where target high risk goods are shipped from a target risk country with a mixture of pathways, for example, air cargo to a non-target risk country, and then shipped from that non-target risk country as sea cargo to Australia, the seasonal measures apply to goods that arrive into Australian territory as sea cargo.

Post treatment window

For goods treated prior to 1 December, a 120 hours post treatment window applies after they have been treated. The 120 hour timeframe commences after treatment has been completed or when ventilation commences. Containerised goods - Goods must be loaded into a six hard sided container and sealed within 120 hours. A sealing declaration can be provided if required.

Break bulk (including flat racks and open top containers) – must be loaded onto a vessel for export from the target risk country within the defined timeframe of 120 hours.

NOTE: The post treatment window does NOT apply to goods treated in a non-target risk country, or to goods treated from 1 December (inclusive).

All other goods not listed

For all other goods that are not categorised as target high risk and target risk goods, BMSB seasonal measures do not apply, however, these goods may be subject to the measures if they are part of a container or consignment that contains target high risk or target risk goods. Containerised cargo arriving in sealed six hard sided containers with target high risk goods can be treated onshore at the container level. Deconsolidation or removal of goods will not be permitted prior to treatment.

Managing expected onshore delays

Importers should note the policy to allow onshore treatment of containers is expected to result in increased clearance delays at the border. These delays are due to increased volumes of cargo being referred into the system, and limited onshore capacity to storage facilities at approed arrangement sites and onshore treatment provider premises.

Further information

For the latest information regarding the 2023–24 BMSB seasonal measures including preparing to import goods and what happens to goods on arrival, visit the BMSB seasonal measures webpage or contact your DB Schenker team of experts.  All information is subject to change without notice as the season progresses and DAWE’s collection of intelligence on risk profiles.

Be biosecurity aware
See. Secure. Report

Everyone has a role in protecting Australia’s biosecurity

Many reports of suspected biosecurity concerns come from wharf workers, transport operators, ship’s crew, stevedores, depot staff and importers who report their concerns to the department.  These reports allow Department of Agriculture to investigate a and respond quickly to manage the risks and stop pests at the border

If you see something that could have entered Australia with imported goods, report it to See. Secure. Report on 1800 798 636 or complete the online form.

Contact the DB Schenker team of experts at  au.dl.mel.bmsb-anz@dbschenker.com