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Information for Commercial Vessel Masters and Shipping Agents
The AQIS Seaports program inspects all incoming vessels, including commercial and non-commercial vessels that enter Australian ports. Prior to arrival, all vessels, greater than 25 metres in length, arriving in Australia from overseas, or that have been in contact with overseas vessels or sea installations, are required to submit a Quarantine pre-arrival report for vessels (Pratique) form (QPAR) 
PDF [312kb] to AQIS.
Shipping Masters are responsible for the information supplied on the QPAR, which must be accurate and provided to AQIS within 12-96 hours before to the vessel arrives in Australia. However, provision will be made for vessels arriving on weekends or public holidays.
AQIS must be notified immediately if the current status of the vessel (relating to questions on the QPAR) changes at any time. If the form is either incomplete or not provided, AQIS will meet vessels on arrival. The maximum penalty for a false statement is one-year imprisonment.
Information on how to complete the QPAR is provided in the Guide to Completing the Quarantine Pre-Arrival Report (Pratique) Form for Vessel Clearance PDF [120kb].
When quarantine clearance for a vessel has been granted, the vessel should proceed directly to the berth if available and, as soon as possible after the vessel’s arrival at the berth, a quarantine officer will board the vessel and carry out an inspection. Inspection time can be reduced if vessels follow the guidance provided within the AQIS requirements for bonding / seizure of stores derived from foot and mouth disease countries on overseas vessels arriving in Australian waters PDF [100kb] document.
Vessels that intend to enter an Australian non-proclaimed port as their first port of call or subsequent port of call, must apply for permission to enter that port under section 20AA of the Quarantine Act 1908. Applications are to be made on an Application for permission to enter an Australian non-proclaimed first port of entry and/or subsequent port of call PDF [178kb] form, and submitted to AQIS at least 10 days before the intended date of arrival. Further information, including a list of proclaimed ports, is available in the Guidelines to entering a non-proclaimed port PDF [83kb].
AQIS is a cost-recovered organisation and the Seaports Program is obligated to recover sufficient revenue to ensure that it can maintain the resource levels necessary to provide quarantine services to the shipping industry. Further information can be found in the Seaports Program charging guidelines PDF [83kb].
Additional, general quarantine information including port contact details, vessel refuse disposal, industry advice notices and more.
- Quarantine pre-arrival report for vessels (Pratique) form (QPAR) PDF [312kb]
- Guide to completing the quarantine pre-arrival report (pratique) form for vessel clearance PDF [120kb]
- AQIS requirements for bonding / seizure of stores derived from foot and mouth disease countries on overseas vessels arriving in Australian waters PDF [100kb]
- Application for permission to enter an Australian non-proclaimed first port of entry and/or subsequent port of call PDF [178kb]
- Guidelines to entering a non-proclaimed port PDF [83kb]
- Seaports Program charging guidelines PDF [144kb]
- Additional general quarantine information
