30 November 2023
Who does this notice affect?
Clients in the import and shipping industries—including freight forwarders, importers and customs brokers—associated with importing goods that require BMSB treatment during the BMSB risk season (goods manufactured in or shipped from target risk countries, that have been shipped between 1 September 2023 and 30 April 2024 (inclusive)).
What has changed?
Following failure to comply with scheme requirements, the department has suspended National Fumigation (Charleston) (AEI: US4024SB) under the Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme to ensure biosecurity risk is managed.
The company has been listed as ‘suspended’ on List of Treatment Providers. The department may direct any consignments treated by National Fumigation (Charleston) (AEI: US4024SB), including those in transit, for any action considered reasonable to manage the biosecurity risk posed.
The suspension date is published on the summary of recent changes in the ‘change date’ column on the offshore treatment provider website. As per the department’s in-transit policy, all treatment certification issued by the treatment provider will be considered unacceptable from the suspension date, regardless of the treatment/issue date on the treatment certificate. This includes certification issued both before and after the change in their status.
Consignments or goods are classified as ‘in transit’ when they have left the country of origin but have not yet been cleared through the border in Australia. Please refer to Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) for onshore outcomes.
Further detail on how different consignment types treated by a suspended treatment provider will be managed on arrival in Australia is provided on the Preparing to import goods during the BMSB season webpage.
Further information
For further information, please contact Compliance Partnerships at BMSBtreatments@aff.gov.au for treatment related questions or Hitchhiker and Ports Policy team at SPP@aff.gov.au for onshore outcomes.