Annex

The NPPO will ensure that the in-transit cold disinfestation is undertaken in self refrigerated (integral) shipping containers that can accommodate the required number of probes that monitor and record treatment temperatures on an hourly basis and store the data until examined by a biosecurity officer or are capable of producing print outs for each probe also identifying the temperature recorder and the container. The NPPO is responsible for ensuring that containers used by exporters are of a suitable type, and have refrigerator equipment capable of achieving and holding the required temperatures.

Number and placement of probes in containers:

2.1 Packed fruit must be loaded into shipping containers under the supervision of the NPPO. Containers should be packed in a manner which ensures that there is equal airflow under and around all pallets and loose stacked boxes.

2.2 A minimum of three fruit flesh temperature measuring probes are required, and must be suitable for the purpose and meet the standards required by the USDA. Probes should be accurate to ± 0.15°C in the range of -3.0°C to +3.0°C. These probes must be located as given below, for monitoring fruit flesh temperature during intransit cold disinfestation:

2.3 Two fruit pulp probes must be placed in boxes diagonally opposite at the side walls approximately 1.5 metres from the ends of the load for 12 metre containers and approximately 1 metre from the ends of the load for 6 metre containers.

2.4 The third fruit probe must be placed in a box in the centre of the container.

2.5 All three probes must be placed half way up the stack.

2.6 In addition, there must be two additional probes (located at the inlet and outlets) monitoring the air temperature within each container.

2.7 Placement of temperature probes must be undertaken under the supervision of the NPPO.

Sealing of containers:

3.1 A numbered seal must be placed on the loaded container door by an authorised officer of the NPPO and the seal number noted on the phytosanitary certificate.

3.2 The seal must only be removed in the presence of a biosecurity officer at the port of arrival in Australia.

Temperature records/downloads and on arrival verification:

4.1 The in-transit arrangement is for the cold disinfestation treatment to be completed during the voyage the country of origin and the first port of call in Australia.

4.2 On completion of treatments, printouts of all temperature probes or direct electronic downloads must be made available to Plant Import Operations, Canberra, on arrival in Australia, for final clearance of the container.

4.3 Temperature data must be assessed by Plant Import Operations, Canberra prior to the container being opened up for unpack as this would dislodge the probes and disrupt the ongoing cold disinfestation if it had not been completed at the time of the assessment.

4.3 Department of Agriculture Plant Programs, Canberra will verify that the treatment records meet Australian disinfestation requirements, subject to calibration of probes.

4.4 In the event of an in-transit treatment failure, Plant Import Operations, Canberra, may allow the treatment to be completed on arrival in Australia.

Note: Some sea voyages may allow the cold disinfestation treatment to be completed by the time the vessel arrives at a port en-route to Australia. It is permissible for treatment records to be downloaded en-route and sent to Plant Import Operations, Canberra, for verification. It is however a requirement that the treatment is not deemed to have been effected until the Department has completed the re-calibration of the temperature probes. It is therefore a commercial decision whether the fruit should be “conditioned” (i.e. gradually raising the carriage temperature) prior to arrival in Australia.

Calibration of temperature recorder and probes:

5.1 Calibration of temperature recorder and probes prior to in-transit cold disinfestation beginning must be undertaken under the supervision of the NPPO.

5.2 Any probe which records more than plus or minus 0.6°C from 0°C must be replaced by one that meets this criterion.

5.3 A 'Record of calibration of fruit probes' must be prepared for each container and signed and stamped by an officer of the NPPO. The original must be attached to the phytosanitary certificate which accompanies the consignment.

5.4 The Department will check the calibration of the fruit probes, on arrival of the container in Australia.

5.5 If any probe shows a higher calibration reading at the completion of the treatment than at the initial calibration setting, the recordings from the probes will be adjusted accordingly. If the calibration reading is lower than the initial data then there is a chance that the temperature data adjusted accordingly may reveal that the nominated treatment schedule was not met. In this instance the treatment will be deemed to have failed.

5.6 The option of re-treating this fruit is available on advice from Plant Import Operations, Canberra, and at the discretion of the importer in Australia.