Full steam ahead for revamped border requirements and inspection system
Inspector Ron Matthews collecting
giant African snail shells from
a vessel hold
The biosecurity clearance of vessels into New Zealand is about to get smarter with the implementation of a new inspection system.
Trialling of the new clearance system began in mid October with ships serviced by agents Quadrant Pacific, Geo H Scales and Adsteam (the Hakone) using a new, more detailed declaration pre-arrival in New Zealand. The new procedures, which will streamline arrival for ships, will be operating under a revised vessel clearance standard: Requirements for Vessels Arriving in New Zealand.
Under the new system, inbound ships will supply biosecurity risk information in the form of the Advance Notice of Arrival, a new enhanced Master's Declaration and Ballast Water Declaration at least 48 hours before arrival. The new Master's Declaration includes detailed questions on food stores carried, garbage management, pest management and animals on board. This declaration – as well as information from inspections on previous visits – will enable a vessel's risk status to be assessed while still offshore by a central Vessel Risk Assessor (VRA).
The VRA will also have access to risk profiles for vessels that are high risk for specific pests or unwanted organisms. At present, the only profile that exists is for Asian gypsy moth, but work will be starting soon to develop further risk profiles where necessary.
The VRA will direct Quarantine Inspectors to thoroughly inspect specific areas of the vessel. The requirements for these detailed investigations are outlined in new training modules soon to be released.
Vessels assessed by the VRA as "low risk coastwise vessel" will be exempted from inspection unless new risks arise or the vessel is due for an audit inspection. Masters of regularly visiting vessels will be able to substantially reduce inspections of their vessels by maintaining a tidy ship, managing their garbage well and reliably keeping risk goods, such as meat in the food store, securely on the vessel. If an otherwise low-risk vessel continues to present a risk due to such issues as infestations with ants or spiders, inspectors can help them instigate pest management programmes on board.
Fully integrated solution planned
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand Senior Adviser, Liz Jones, first took the idea of a risk assessment system for vessels to MAF's IT Governance Board in late 2005. She says it is due to the great efforts of those who have worked on various vessel projects such as Vessel Sentry and Vessel Solutions, that this smarter system for ship and boat inspection has been able to reach fruition.
She explains that the information management (IM) systems in the early years will be fairly basic with assessments relying on the VRA to do much of the collation of data and matching with profiles. A fully integrated IM solution is, however, part of the long term plan.
Liz initially began working on risk assessment for vessels through her interest in controls for the ballast water and hull fouling risk pathways.
"These risks cannot be addressed by inspectors looking out for organisms and risk goods on the vessel but require records of past compliance from inspectors' verifications of ballast water exchange, or require information on the vessel's voyage and maintenance history for matching to vessel risk profiles for hull fouling."
She says the new system provides a framework to identify vessels that require in-depth auditing of ballast water management on board, and will also eventually enable profile matching to identify vessels likely to be carrying high risk biofouling.
"We are awaiting the final risk analysis for biofouling using the huge amount of data collected in a biofouling survey – carried out on 10 percent of arriving vessels over a two year period – before requirements can be developed to reduce the amount of biofouling risk entering New Zealand waters. In the meantime, the standard makes it clear that vessels such as yachts arriving with badly fouled hulls may be directed to MAF-approved facilities, to be hauled out for cleaning."
The Vessel Risk Assessment system will become operational for most vessels on 7 April 2008 and for cruise vessels and pleasure craft at the start of the 2008/09 season. Further information will be posted on the MAF website and will be emailed to those subscribing to the major domo list for STANDARDS. The standard Requirements for Vessels Arriving in New Zealand can be found at:
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Page last updated: 30 April 2008