Alerts
Additional sea container measures to protect against khapra beetle
Effective from 5 July 2021The purpose of this notification is to advise stakeholders that additional import conditions for the khapra beetle sea container measures will commence from 12 July 2021.
Khapra beetle is Australia’s number two National Priority Plant Pest (2019). It is not present in Australia and poses a major threat to Australia’s grains, rice and nut industries through production losses and potential impacts on international trade.
Who does this alert affect:
Stakeholders in the import and shipping industries - including vessel masters, freight forwarders, treatment providers, Biosecurity Industry Participants, importers, customs brokers, principal shipping agents, and any other operators in the sea container supply and logistics chain.
What’s the change:
Additional measures under Phase 6A of the khapra beetle urgent actions will commence on 12 July 2021. These additional measures will introduce mandatory offshore treatment requirements for all FCL/FCX sea containers packed with all types of goods in a khapra beetle target risk country and unpacked in a rural grain growing area of Australia.
To assist in preparing stakeholders for these changes, a specific web page outlining the sea container measures is available. This web page can be accessed at awe.gov.au/khapra-containers.
Summary of measures:
The below table provides a summary of the Phase 6A measures.
Note: Failure to comply with these requirements will result in export of the container upon arrival in Australia.
Type of target risk container |
Implementation date |
How to comply |
FCL/FCX container where high-risk plant products are packed into the sea container in a khapra beetle target risk country. Note: For import conditions refer to the BICON case: Khapra beetle sea container measures. |
12 April 2021 (containers exported on or after 12 April 2021). |
Containers must be treated offshore prior to packing* using an approved treatment option and accompanied by a valid treatment certificate. *Note: treatment of containers already loaded with goods is acceptable for methyl bromide treatment only. |
FCL/FCX container where other goods are packed into the sea container in a khapra beetle target risk country and will be unpacked in a rural grain growing area of Australia. Note: The import conditions will be included in the BICON case Non-Commodity Cargo Clearance on 12 July 2021. |
Will commence on 12 July 2021 (containers exported on or after 12 July 2021). |
Containers must be treated offshore (prior to packing*) using an approved treatment option and accompanied by a valid treatment certificate. *Note: treatment of containers already loaded with goods is acceptable for methyl bromide treatment only. |
Import conditions and permits:
BICON import conditions for impacted containers will be amended to incorporate the revised conditions.
Further information:
For further information, see:
- Urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium).
- Sea container measures to protect against khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) webpage.
- Khapra beetle bulletin.
For:
- questions and information related directly to offshore khapra beetle treatments, please email offshoretreatments@agriculture.gov.au.
- all other enquiries regarding these measures, please phone 1800 900 090 or email imports@awe.gov.au (please title the subject line of the email with ‘Plant Tier 2 – khapra urgent actions’).
This Alert applies to the following Cases: