Weekly Update 16 September 2019

Welcome to our new weekly update report for the BMSB season. We want to keep you informed of our work and answer your questions. We'll include eBACCa queue processing times and volumes.

This week

Sea freight queue

For the coming week, sea freight application turnaround is estimated at 3-5 days.

COB Friday 13 Sept status: There were 1624 Sea Freight in the queue (includes Australian application ) and we were processing consignments that were due back at 3:30pm 12/9.

There were 564 consignments to be left to be processed before Monday.

Australia queue

For the coming week, Australia container applications turnaround is estimated at 2-3 days. 

COB Friday 13th Sept status: Australia queue stood 275 applications (39 Air, 236 Sea) with 28 consignments left to complete all of Friday’s due applications.

On Monday 16th Sept morning the Australian queue had 74 applications remaining with consignments being processed one day ahead of operational performance targets.

• ICR processing – (Low value) all ICR were turned around within expected operational performance measures
• Urgency manifest inbox up-to-date processing incoming messages

Pressure point:

Manifest inbox

If you have submitted documents though TSW, you do not need to cc the manifest inbox to let us know that documents have been submitted.

The inbox is running between 50–100 urgent applications a day. We ask that you make sure your urgent applications meet our urgency criteria and we strongly recommend that your application needs to have been in the sea freight queue for at least 48 hours.

Read the urgency criteria

The team will typically process urgency requests within the same working day. If you are clearly abusing the manifest inbox, we will not process your urgency request.

Pressure point:

BMSB@mpi, Info@mpi & Standards@mpi emails

CEC and Standards are experiencing high volumes of enquiries, please be patient.

Our expected turnaround for enquiries is 1-2 working days. 

Last week

Applications processed

All timing measures are based on business hours from 7am to 5pm

Your questions answered

When do BMSB rules apply?

BMSB requirements only apply to:

• containers and cargo from Italy and / or
• targeted vehicle, machinery and parts from the 33 targeted countries

that have shipped on or after 1 September and arrive in New Zealand on or before 30 April of any year.

One of our clients is preparing a 20ft container of tiles from Valencia, Spain, to Auckland, does it need to be treated at origin? What if the tiles are from Italy?

No BMSB treatment is required because:

• the tiles are not vehicles, machinery, or parts, and
• the container is not coming from Italy.

However, if the container of tiles were shipping from Italy originally, and only transhipping through Spain – then treatment would be required.

What do I need to do if I have sensitive cargo from Italy?

Importers must notify MPI that the cargo is considered sensitive to treatment. You must do this before the container and cargo arrive or when you apply for biosecurity clearance, whichever is earlier.

Notice is required so we can arrange an appropriate MPI intervention.

Failure to notify MPI about the sensitive cargo may result in:

• delays providing biosecurity clearance, or
• re-shipment, or
• destruction of the sea container and cargo.

Note - You will still need to meet relevant import requirements for that commodity (including  appropriate treatment).

My shipper has told me all RORO (Roll on and roll off) and containers imports to NZ from UK (non-risk country) have been suspended while MPI decide whether to fumigate in UK? Is this accurate?

At present, the UK (including England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) is not a BMSB risk country. MPI has not suspended any kind of trade regarding break-bulk or containerised risk goods relating to vehicles, machinery and parts or anything else for that matter. However, shipping companies may have their own management of cargo out of UK. 

In summary, the following applies:

1. The UK is not a risk country for BMSB.
2. Vehicles, machinery and parts (either break-bulk or containerised) may be imported into New Zealand without any kind of mandatory management for BMSB.

Any change to this would require MPI to amend the Import Health Standard for Vehicles, Machinery and Parts. This can be done under urgency or via a non-urgent consultation process involving advising the WTO and waiting 60 + days for implementation of new changes. 

The IHS doesn’t give any indication of the 200mm gap completely around all walls and ceiling. I am concerned for the Italy containers where mandatory fume is required, that all contents have to be 200mm away from the container inside. This will not work with packing as will result in damage as cargo cannot be packed tightly to the walls etc. How is this going to managed?

There have been no specific internal sea container spacing requirements communicated to offshore treatment providers. The 200mm spacing is listed on MPI’s Quarantine Declaration form as a recommended distance only. Therefore, exporters may adjust the spacing as needed to better suit their cargo and to still allow for appropriate treatment penetration. 

1. There must be sufficient free space throughout the enclosure to allow the fumigant to freely circulate around the target of the fumigation.
2. There must be enough free airspace around and above the goods to give access to place monitoring tubes or temperature sensors and to place a fan to circulate the air.
3. Good spacing is part of the approval process for offshore treatment programmes.
4. Talk to your offshore treatment provider to make sure your containers are presented correctly for treatment.

Palletisation

There is no requirement from MPI for goods to be palletised. However, palletising cargo is a quite often a good idea and can provide additional air flow. However, using pallets is up to the importer.

In summary, MPI strongly recommends that the Sea Container Quarantine Declaration form is completed and that appropriate space is provided (as above).  However, providing such space is at the discretion of the exporter, but if space is not provided and treatment is required, it could mean that MPI will conduct other actions.  It could be that MPI considers that treatment may not be effectively or safely conducted and this would necessitate the container and cargo to be re-shipped out of New Zealand or destroyed.  

Useful resources

Download this PDF guidance from the Australian Government's website

BMSB Consignment suitability

BMSB Sulfuryl Fluoride fumigation compliance requirements

BMSB Methyl Bromide fumigation compliance requirements

BMSB Heat treatment compliance requirements

Find previous updates on our website.