16 August 2019
Who does this notice affect?
This notice is of interest to all vessel masters and shipping agents who represent international commercial vessels for the purposes of Australian biosecurity clearance.
What has changed?
The Department of Agriculture’s (department’s) Maritime Arrivals Reporting System (MARS) pre-arrival report and the corresponding offline forms have been updated for use from Sunday 18 August 2019.
The department has made changes to reflect enhanced risk assessments in MARS, and the Department of Agriculture rebranding, other offline form revisions include:
- Non-First Point of Entry Application
- Port list
- Shipping agency list.
- Ballast Water Report
- Ballast water treatment systems
- Shipping agency list.
- Human Health Update
- Shipping agency list.
- Domestic Risk Assessment Application
- Australian port list
- Shipping agency list
- Approved ballast water treatment systems.
- Pre-Arrival Report (PAR)
- A new question to determine if the vessel is carrying non-compliant or untreated breakbulk, open top or flat rack container cargo.
- Clearer language regarding:
- question 4: the detection of hitchhiker animals or birds
- question 5: insects found on board
- question 7: the last cargos carried since the last visit to Australia
- question 8: the securing of waste on board
- question 10: crew signing off in Australia
- question 17: the use of insectocutors and the collection of insects on livestock vessels.
What do you need to do?
Complete your PAR in MARS, or, when using any of the offline forms, make sure you download the latest versions available from the department’s website.
Vessel captains or agents who submit PARs from 18 August will be prompted to truthfully answer the new question about untreated cargo.
Use the current offline form versions to minimise errors when submitting information into MARS.
Where can you find the forms?
The updated offline forms are available on the department’s website.
Further information
Contact the department’s Maritime National Coordination Centre (MNCC) by email or phone 1300 004 605 (in Australia) or +61 8 8201 6185 (outside Australia). Information and MARS supporting materials can be found on the department’s website under Vessels.