21 August 2017
This Biosecurity Advice notifies stakeholders of emergency measures for specific sea freight consignments of containerised and break bulk cargo from all ports in Europe which load cargo manufactured or stored in Italy after the commencement of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) infestation season.
The emergency measures will apply to new and used vehicles, vessels and high risk machinery and parts.
The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (the department) initiated emergency measures in response to large number of interceptions of Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs (Halyomorpha halys, BMSB) including four large live infestations being detected on and in Italian origin bulk and containerised cargo from the ports of Italy during the current 2016-2017 season (September 2016 to September 2017).
BMSB is an exotic pest of biosecurity concern to Australia’s agriculture industry. They can enter machines, vehicles, homes and factories in autumn months in large numbers looking for places to overwinter. Offshore treatment of goods on high-risk pathways is currently considered to be the only feasible measure available to the department to effectively manage the ongoing biosecurity risk from BMSB.
As a result, the department is introducing emergency measures as of 1 September 2017 for all containerised and break bulk new and used vehicles, vessels, high risk machinery and parts from all ports in Europe which load cargo manufactured or stored in Italy. The requirements apply to target goods with a documented loading date in Italy between 1 September 2017 and 30 April 2018 inclusive. These offshore treatments continue to be applied to United States cargo announced in January 2015 (BA 2015/01).
The recommended treatments for BMSB are as follows:
- Sulfuryl fluoride – at least 48g/m3 for 6 hours or longer or at least 16g/m3 for 12 hours or longer both with an end point reading of 50 per cent or more of the initial concentration and conducted at a temperature of 10 °C or higher (please note this temperature is 5 °C lower than the methyl bromide conditions below).
- Methyl bromide – at least 16g/m3 for 12 hours or longer with an end point reading of 50 per cent or more of the initial concentration and conducted at a temperature of 15 °C or higher (please note this temperature is 5 °C higher than the sulfuryl fluoride conditions above).
- Heat – 50 °C or greater for at least 20 minutes. The minimum temperature of the coldest part of the treated good should reach at least 50 °C for at least 20 minutes.
Treatment window before loading
- Break bulk goods treated before 1 December 2017 have a 96 hour treatment window.
- Break bulk goods treated after 1 December 2017 are unlikely to become re-infested, so they are not subject to a treatment window.
- Containerised goods sealed in the container immediately after treatment are not subject to a treatment window.
The emergency measures will be reviewed as more information becomes available and will be adjusted accordingly. The department has released a World Trade Organisation Sanitary and Phytosanitary (WTO SPS) notification to inform the stakeholders of the emergency measures. Further details on the emergency measures can be found on the department’s website on 1 September 2017.
[Signed]
Marion Healy
First Assistant Secretary
Biosecurity Plant Division
Email: Air and Sea Cargo
Phone (from within Australia): 1800 900 090
Phone (from outside Australia): + 61 3 8318 6700