Alerts

On 19 November 2020, the department issued a BICON alert informing stakeholders of its plans to implement new measures for sea containers to address the hitchhiking risk of khapra beetle. Further information on these measures is now available, as detailed below.

The new measures for sea containers will be implemented in two stages: Phase 6A (target risk containers) and Phase 6B (high-risk containers).

Who does this notice 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.

Phase 6A: New measures for target risk sea containers

Phase 6A will introduce offshore treatment requirements for target risk sea containers from 12 April 2021. To comply with the new measures, all target risk containers exported on or after 12 April 2021 must be treated and accompanied by a valid treatment certificate. If a phytosanitary certificate is to be provided for sea container treatments, this must also be accompanied by a valid treatment certificate.

A target risk container is defined as a:

• FCL/FCX container carrying high-risk plant products and loaded in a khapra beetle khapra beetle target risk country
• FCL/FCX container shipped from a khapra beetle khapra beetle target risk country and destined to a rural grain growing area of Australia.
  

Note: ISO tanks, reefers, flat racks, LCL /FAK and containers that will be shipped as empty containers are excluded from the measures.

Target risk containers will be required to be treated offshore prior to loading the goods using one of the below options:

• Methyl bromide fumigation: Prior to loading the goods, the container must be fumigated with a dose of 80 g/m³ or above, at 21°C or above, for a minimum of 48 hours, with an end point reading of 20 g/m3 or above. The fumigation must be conducted in a sheeted enclosure and in accordance with the Methyl bromide fumigation methodology.
• Heat treatment: Prior to loading the goods, the container must be heat treated at 60°C or higher for a minimum of 120 minutes. The treatment must be conducted in accordance with the Heat treatment methodology. Additional container-specific heat treatment instructions will be released prior to implementation of Phase 6A.
• Insecticide spray: Prior to loading the goods, the container must be sprayed with contact insecticide. Additional details on this treatment option will be released prior to implementation of Phase 6A.
  
  

Phase 6B: New measures for high-risk sea containers

Phase 6B is expected to commence in late 2021 and will introduce measures to a broader range of containers (i.e. all high-risk containers). Further information about these measures, including details on consultation, will be made available on our website.

Information sessions:

The department is holding virtual information sessions to provide more information on the Phase 6A changes. There are three separate information sessions to accommodate people’s schedules. Please note, the content will be the same at each information session.

The information sessions are:

• 9:30 – 11:30 (AEDT), Tuesday, 23 February 2021
• 10:30 – 12:30 (AEDT), Thursday, 25 February 2021
• 14:00 – 16:00 (AEDT), Friday, 26 February 2021

Register to attend: Information sessions: Khapra beetle sea container changes

Why are these changes needed?

The actions are considered necessary because:

• The global spread of khapra beetle is increasing. Australia has seen an increase in detections of khapra beetle during 2020 in commodities that khapra beetle previously had no association with, from countries not known to have khapra beetle, and as contaminants in shipping containers.
• Khapra beetle is a significant threat to Australian plant industries, including the grain export industry. Khapra beetle destroys grain quality making it unfit for human or animal consumption. Stored products also become contaminated with beetles, cast skins and hairs from larvae, which can be a human health risk.
• If khapra beetle enters Australia it would have significant economic consequences. An outbreak could cost Australia $15.5 billion over 20 years through revenue losses arising from damaged grain in storage and exports.

Australia currently has biosecurity requirements for many products that could be infested with khapra beetle. However, considering the emerging khapra risk associated with imported shipping containers, the department believes that the biosecurity requirements need to be expanded and strengthened to prevent a khapra beetle incursion.

Further information:

For further information, see the:

• Urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) webpage
• Khapra beetle bulletin

Enquiries can be directed to 1800 900 090 or via email at imports@awe.gov.au (please title the subject line of the email with ‘Plant Tier 2 – Khapra urgent actions’).