BMSB is a pest native to east Asian countries including China, Japan and South Korea, and can be found in North America and the Europe, but exotic to Australia and New Zealand. Juvenile and adult BMSB feed on, and can severely damage, more than 300 kinds of fruit and vegetable crops, and are of considerable biosecurity concern to Australia’s agricultural industries. It is also a nuisance pest as adults enter vehicles, homes and factories in large numbers in autumn months. Australia Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) considers it a hitchhiker pest that can arrive on cargo and containers, and therefore take seasonal measures between 1 September and 30 April (inclusive) each year.

I. Seasonal measures for goods and vessels

BMSB seasonal measures will apply to targeted goods manufactured in or shipped from target risk countries, that have been shipped between 1 September and 30 April (inclusive), and to vessels that berth, load, or tranship from target risk countries within the same period. If the goods are classed as target high risk, they will require mandatory treatment. If classed as target risk, they will be subject to random inspection.

For break bulk goods, including those shipped on flat racks and in open top containers, if classed as target high risk goods, they must be treated offshore prior to arrival into Australia. Untreated break bulk will be denied discharge or directed for export. Onshore treatment is not permitted. FCL containers that have been modified, such as those used to house in-built power generators, filtration plants, portable accommodation etc. are no longer sealed six hard sided containers and are considered break bulk cargo.

Containerised cargo arriving in sealed six hard sided containers with target high risk goods can be treated offshore, or onshore at the container level. Refrigerated containers (operating and non-operating) and hard top sealed containers (ISO22U6/ISO22UP, ISO42U6/ISO42UP and ISO45U6/ISO45UP) are deemed to be the same as six hard sided sealed containers. Onshore treatment of goods is to occur at the container level. Deconsolidation or removal of goods from the container will not be permitted prior to treatment. Containers should be packed in a manner that will enable effective onshore treatment at the container level to avoid possible export of the container. For 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; or goods were sealed inside the container within 120 hours of treatment occurring offshore, a sealing declaration can be utilised.

There are also circumstances where goods may not be subject to the measures:

Where target high risk goods are packed and sealed in a six hard sided container in a target risk country prior to 1 September, a sealing declaration will be accepted by the department.

Goods will be deemed out of scope for mandatory BMSB measures if evidence can be provided that the goods have been transported to and stored in a non-target risk country prior to 1 September.

New, unused, and not field tested (NUFT) goods, which were manufactured on or after 1 December, and classified under the following tariff chapters only: 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88 and 89 will not be subject to mandatory BMSB treatment, with evidence provided in the form of a BMSB NUFT.

Household goods and personal effects imported as Unaccompanied Personal Effects (UPEs), that are categorised as target high risk goods, will not be subject to mandatory treatment requirements if they are imported under the B534 form. However, goods required to be reported under a Full Import Declaration (FID), for example, motor vehicles and motorbikes, will require mandatory BMSB treatment either offshore or onshore (if permitted). All UPEs will be subject to increased onshore inspection. If the goods are imported as Less than Container Load (LCL) in a FAK container, a Master Consolidators declaration will be required to be submitted, and they will be subject to assessment and inspection at the container level prior to deconsolidation.

All ro-ro vessels that berth at, load, or tranship in target risk countries between 1 September and 30 April (inclusive) will also be required to conduct at least one crew inspection and respond to specific questions as part of the pre-arrival reporting requirements; and undergo a mandatory seasonal pest inspection on arrival in Australia. Such pests are very small and may be hidden in hard to see places. Crew vessel inspections of vessels should include: all cargo holds/decks and adjoining stairwells, the outside surface of shipping containers, inside and on the outside surface of machinery and vehicles (where possible), and near light sources. Seasonal pest inspections are different to a routine vessel inspection. For a seasonal pest inspection, a vessel’s ramp and doors must remain closed. Cargo must not be discharged until the inspection has been completed and approval is granted. If live insects, or a significant number of dead insects are detected, a seasonal pest inspection will be supplemented with inspection aide measures. This will require the application of thermal pyrethrum fogging and residual insecticide.

II. Target goods subject to the measures

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 risk.

• 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, rolling-stock 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

Target risk goods

Goods that fall within the following tariff classifications have been categorised as target risk goods and are only subject to increased onshore intervention through random inspection. Mandatory treatment is not required.

• 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

For all other goods that are not categorised as target high risk and target risk goods, BMSB seasonal measures do not apply. However, if they are part of a container or consignment that contains target high risk or target risk goods, they will be subject to the measures.

III. Target risk countries

The countries below have been categorised as target risk:

• Albania
• Andorra
• Armenia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• China (heightened vessel surveillance only)
• Croatia
• Czechia
• France
• Japan (heightened vessel surveillance only).
• Georgia
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Italy
• Kazakhstan
• Republic of Korea (heightened vessel surveillance only)
• Kosovo
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Montenegro
• Moldova
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Republic of North Macedonia
• Romania
• Russia
• Serbia
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Switzerland
• Türkiye
• Ukraine
• United States of America
• Uzbekistan

The following countries have been identified as emerging risk countries for the -BMSB risk season and may be selected for a random onshore inspection: United Kingdom and China

• 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 will be subject to random inspections for emerging risk countries only.

IV. BMSB treatment

There are set minimum standards for the application of BMSB treatments. Treatments applied for biosecurity purposes are part of managing the risk of introducing exotic pests and diseases. It is important that treatment providers understand these requirements as treatments to manage risk are only effective when conducted correctly. These standards outline best practice methodologies for applying biosecurity treatments. Where onshore treatment of goods is permitted, a list of approved arrangement providers can be found on the DAFF website. For offshore treatment, AusTreat sets out registration and compliance requirements for offshore treatment providers, including compliance with applicable treatment methodologies.

All offshore treatment providers performing BMSB treatments in target risk countries must be registered under AusTreat and listed as “approved” on the List of treatment providers prior to treatment. Treatments conducted by an unapproved treatment provider in a target risk country will be deemed as invalid. 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, or unregistered and listed as “unacceptable” or “under review”. CCIC is currently the only approved treatment provider in China.

There are three approved treatment options for BMSB treatment. The approved treatments are:

Heat (for all good types and sizes)

• 56°C or higher at the coldest surface of the goods, for a minimum of 30 minutes
  or
• for individual goods weighing less than 3000 kg shipped as break bulk only, 60°C or higher at the coldest surface of the goods, for a minimum of 10 minutes

Note: Individual goods shipped as break bulk weighing less than 3000kg treated at 60°C for 10 minutes require evidence within shipping documentation that they are less than 3000kg for these treatments to be accepted.

Methyl Bromide

• A dose of 24 g/m³ or above, at 10°C or above, for a minimum of 12 hours (but less than 24 hours), and a minimum end point reading of 12 g/m³
  or
• A dose of 24 g/m³ or above, at 10°C or above, for 24 hours or longer, and a minimum end point reading of 8 g/m³

Note:

• All start time concentration readings must be above 24 g/m³.
• Dose increases to compensate for temperatures less than 10°C is NOT permitted.
• Topping up with additional fumigant at the end of treatment is NOT permitted.
• If the concentration of fumigant falls below the minimum end point reading at any point during the treatment, the treatment has failed.

Sulfuryl Fluoride

• A dose of 24 g/m³ or above, at 10°C or above, for a minimum of 12 hours (but less than 24 hours), and a minimum end point reading of 12 g/m³
  or
• A dose of 24 g/m³ or above, at 10°C or above, for 24 hours or longer, and a minimum end point reading of 8 g/m³

Note:

• All start time concentration readings must be above 24 g/m³.
• Dose increases to compensate for temperatures less than 10°C is NOT permitted.
• Topping up with additional fumigant at the end of treatment is NOT permitted.
• If the concentration of fumigant falls below the minimum end point reading at any point during the treatment, the treatment has failed.

Sulfuryl Fluoride – Using third-party system*

• Achieve a CT of 200 g-h/m³ or more, at 10°c or above, for 12 hours or longer, with a minimum end point reading of 12 g/m³
  or
• Achieve a CT of 200 g-h/m³ or more, at 10°C or above, for 24 hours or longer, with a minimum end point reading of 8 g/m³

Applications for approval of new phytosanitary treatments can be sent to DAFF with sufficient information and supporting documentation provided.

For more information, please see the DAFF official website or contact the Managers of the Club.

Attachments:

File	File size
factsheet1-quick-reference-guide.pdf	202 kB
factsheet2-bmsb-seasonal-measures.pdf	209 kB
factsheet3-goods-subject-to-bmsb-measures.pdf	274 kB
factsheet4-preparing-to-import-goods.pdf	506 kB
factsheet5-managing-lcl-fak-containers.pdf	220 kB
factsheet6-managing-goods-on-arrival.pdf	230 kB