Notice to Industry Reporting Cargo from Giant African Snail (GAS) Countries - Principal Agent Responsibilities

Notice to Industry 63/2009

Reporting Cargo from Giant African Snail (GAS) Countries
Principal Agent Responsibilities

Who is affected by this notice?

The following information is provided to assist vessel operators carrying GAS cargo for discharge at Australian ports.

What are the issues?

1. The single GAS Country Action List came into force on the 1st September 2009, as advised in the AQIS Notice to Industry 52/2009. This has resulted in a number of additional countries and ports being added to the AQIS GAS Country Action List.
   
   
2. It is the responsibility of the Principal Agent of the vessel to notify AQIS of any GAS cargo carried for discharge in Australia within the prescribed timelines as follows:
   
   o Cargo that has originated in a GAS port of call of the vessel
   o Cargo originating in non-GAS ports (e.g. Tarawa, Kiribati) but transhipped through a GAS port (e.g. Suva, Fiji)
   o Cargo originating in GAS ports (e.g. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea) but transhipped through a non-GAS port (e.g. Auckland, New Zealand)
   
   
3. The Principal Agent is responsible for notifying AQIS of all GAS cargo onboard a vessel. This includes GAS cargo carried under Vessel Sharing Agreements (e.g. slot charterers and sub-slot charterers). Principal Agents are required to ensure that these parties report all GAS cargo onboard the vessel to AQIS. It is preferred that the Principal Agent provides this information on behalf of the Vessel Sharing Agreement partners. Alternatively, the Vessel Sharing Agreement partners can provide information directly to AQIS.
   
   
4. Information on GAS cargo may be reported electronically to AQIS in bay plan files (e.g. .EDI or .BAP) or alternatively as cargo lists in an acceptable standard file format (e.g. Excel or .txt). It would assist the AQIS Container National Coordination Centre (Container NCC) if the Principal Agent could include the text ‘GAS cargo onboard’ in the email subject heading in addition to the vessel name and voyage number.
   
   
5. GAS cargo information should be reported to the Container NCC at least 24 hours prior to the vessel arrival at its first port of call in Australia.
   
   
6. AQIS also requires updates of any changes to GAS cargo that occur between Australian ports. These updates must be reported promptly to the Container NCC and should include (but are not limited to), changes of discharge ports of GAS cargo, short-shipped GAS cargo, amendments to container numbers and additional discharged GAS cargo.
   
   
7. The Principal Agent of the vessel will incur all AQIS charges associated with the external GAS inspection processes. These charges consist of administration and inspection charges. Additional inspection charges and delays may occur, including where non-GAS cargo on the wharf is cross-contaminated due to late reported GAS cargo.
   
   
8. AQIS understands that Principal Agents may not be in possession of or have access to information on all cargo originating in GAS countries and transhipped via non-GAS ports. Principal Agents should contact their Vessel Sharing Agreement partners to ask for this information to be provided. AQIS has access to the Customs Integrated Cargo System (ICS) and is using profiles on Sea Cargo Reports and Cargo Lists to identify cargo reported from GAS countries. These profiles are only used as a backup system for GAS cargo information (bayplan or cargo list files) provided directly by Principal Agents. AQIS will continue to work closely with all vessel operators regarding GAS cargo imported into Australia.

Useful links

ICON – Snails - Giant African Snail ICON Case

Notice to Industry 52/2009 - Giant African Snail Policy - Container and Break-bulk Inspections

Notice to Industry 10/2009 - Giant African Snail Cargo National Transhipment Policy

Further information

Please email Container NCC or phone 07 3637 7730 for any queries you may have regarding this Notice.