Conditions on the pratique section of the Biosecurity Status Document have been updated with the legislative requirements of the Biosecurity Act 2015, according to a new Import Industry Advice Notice (IIAN 165-2022) from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry.
Changes relate to vessels that:
- have not reported illness on the Pre-Arrival Report or on a Human Health Update prior to entering Australia; and
- which are subject to the positive pratique process.
The updated conditions allow for a vessel to undertake loading or unloading of goods or people at the port precinct, if the vessel has not been activated in Maritime Arrivals Reporting System (MARS) as ‘arrived’, at the time of berthing. These changes are effective immediately.
Key elements:
- Commercial vessels are no longer granted pratique at the time of submission of the Pre-Arrival Report
- Commercial vessels (excluding cruise vessels) are subject to the positive or negative pratique process until arrival, which, for biosecurity purposes, is when the vessel enters Australian territorial waters, 12 nautical miles (NM) from the Australian coastline
- Reformed Australian negative pratique arrangements have been mandated as of 3 March 2022
- Pratique is granted automatically via MARS on arrival where there are no human health issues (positive pratique process),excluding all cruise vessels and non-commercial vessels
- Where human health issues are reported, pratique is not granted until a biosecurity officer has assessed the biosecurity risk (negative pratique process)
- Once a vessel has arrived (within 12 nautical miles), subsequent Human Health Updates do not change the pratique process
- Appropriate person ought to continue to complete vessel PAR and Human Health updates in MARS as per usual.
Further information about processes, approvals, forms, notification requirements etc can be accessed in detail at IIAN 165-2022.
Find out more about pratique in Australia.
