New Import Biosecurity Rules for Shipping Containers to NZ

3-minute read

New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industry has provisionally finalised an updated import health standard for sea containers from all countries, as part of the prevention of the threat from importation of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB).

This will be replaced with a signed version prior to September 1.

Importers planning to export sea containers after September 1, 2020 are advised to prepare to comply with this standard which will come into force on that date.

Changes that importers should be aware of are:

• The use of the quarantine declaration in schedule 2 will have a lead in period and come into force February 1, 2021. Until then, MPI will accept both forms of the declaration.

• Fully enclosed sea containers from Italy sealed before September1 and exported before October 1 of the same year are excluded from all BMSB management requirements if evidence of the container sealing is provided.

Vehicles and Machinery

MPI has provisionally finalised the Vehicles, Machinery and Parts Import Health Standard, which will be replaced with a signed version prior to September 1.

Importers planning to export vehicles, machinery and parts on or after September 1, 2020 should prepare to comply with this standard which will come into force on September 1.

Changes that importers should be aware of are:

1) The current BMSB management exclusions for new smaller vehicle types remain in the standard.

2) Some new types of vehicles, machinery and parts are excluded from BMSB management requirements (treatment or system management) providing they are stored indoors and exported in a fully enclosed container and a signed manufacturer’s declaration is submitted before arrival.

Exclusions will apply to the following commodities, unless exported from Italy:

• New machinery (non-drivable kind).

• New jet skis and sea scooters.

• New tyres.

• New vehicle and machinery parts.

• New smaller vehicles types (including all-terrain vehicles (ATV), motorcycles, golf carts, go-karts, scooters, side by side (SxS) racers/vehicles, snow mobiles, quad bikes and tricycles).

3)  Used small vehicle types (as listed above) exported from Japan will not require year-round mandatory system management. BMSB management requirements will apply instead.

View examples of the new manufacturer’s declarations

4) Schedule 3 – BMSB management changes:

• Includes BMSB risk season dates as well BMSB risk countries (no longer stated under every commodity section).

 • Includes vehicles, machinery and parts that spend more than five days in a schedule 3 country before export.

• Includes the possibility for some vehicles, machinery and parts being excluded from BMSB management when sealed within a fully enclosed sea contained before September 1 and exported before October 1 of the same year, if evidence of the container sealing is provided (aligns with the Sea Container Standard).

• Kazakhstan, Moldova, Portugal, and Ukraine added to the schedule 3 country list.

Shipping Line Advisory

Shipping lines have released an advisory noting that, in line with the latest announcement of Australian and New Zealand governments of temporarily requiring measures to prevent the risk of BSMB, Spain has been categorized as a target risk country.

“Some exports heading to the above mentioned countries are obliged to fulfil fumigation requirements, or cargoes will not be allowed in by local authorities.

We are ready to offer the only two prevention methods accepted by the Quarantine department.

• Sulfuryl Fluoride fumigation.

• Specific heat treatment. The main affected cargo include vehicles, ships, machinery, cork, common metals, and stone manufacturers.

P.S. Easy Freight Ltd helps New Zealand importers & exporters to save money on international freight and reduce mistakes by guiding how to comply with Customs and biosecurity rules. 

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