Military vessels

All Military vessels arriving in Australia must undergo a routine vessel inspection by a quarantine officer at their first port of entry into Australia (unless they invoke ‘sovereign immunity’). The inspection includes health status of crew, vessel sanitation, stores, waste management and ballast water verification (if applicable to the vessel).

Pre-arrival reporting

• Quarantine Pre-arrival Report (QPAR) - Military vessels entering Australian ports or waters are required to submit this form within 12-96 hours of their ETA at the first Australian port of call.
• Ballast water reports – Ballast water reports are to be submitted with the QPAR.

Pre-arrival reporting requirements are to be submitted to the Maritime National Co-ordination Centre (MNCC)

Entering non-proclaimed ports

Military vessels wishing to enter non-proclaimed ports must apply to AQIS for permission to enter those ports.

Further Reporting Requirements

• Quarantine reporting form for cruise and naval vessels entering subsequent ports of call - the master must complete this form to report to AQIS any change to the information originally reported on the QPAR, prior to the vessel entering the next Australian port of call.
• • Vessel masters must advise AQIS of changes to previously reported information about crew/passenger movements, human health and waste disposal. Only the relevant section of this form should be completed to report the changes.
  • This form must be submitted to the MNCC 12-96 hours prior to the vessel’s arrival at the next Australian port.
  • Where illness on board the vessel is reported, the vessel master will be required to answer additional questions to assess the public health risk associated with the vessel prior to arrival at the port.
    
• AQIS Live plants vessel log - Military vessels are required to provide AQIS with a list of all live plants on board the vessel.

Depending on the vessel's compliance with quarantine requirements, Military vessels may receive further quarantine inspections whilst in port.

AQIS must use surveillance to ensure that all quarantine waste arrangements are strictly adhered to by Military vessels. AQIS service charges will apply for any Military vessel found to have breached quarantine requirements whilst in an Australian port.

Military vessels which invoke sovereign immunity rights cannot be boarded for the purpose of AQIS carrying out a full vessel inspection and/or verification of vessel papers. While the Military vessel is in port, any quarantine waste, baggage, food products, plant or animal material carried off the vessel by officers and/or crew will be subject to quarantine inspection as they disembark.

Any non-compliance with quarantine requirements will result in increased mandatory gangway watches and monitoring by AQIS for the duration of the Military vessel’s stay in port.