The stink bug season is here again!

Why is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug a problem?

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB), or Halyomorpha halys, is an agricultural pest that feeds on, and can severely damage, fruit, and vegetable crops. The pest has spread from its native range in East Asia to form established populations in North America and Europe but is not yet present or widely established in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and Chile. Like the Flighted Spongy Moth Complex, the BMSB is considered a ‘hitchhiker pest’ that can spread via oceangoing vessels in international trade. When BMSB adults seek shelter from cold weather during the winter months, they tend to find their way into shipping containers, vehicles, machinery, parts, and similar types of cargo.

Who are responsible?

The BMSB requirements primarily target importers of goods. They cover the importers’ responsibility to ensure that certain types of cargoes have been properly treated and certified prior to being shipped from countries with established BMSB populations. However, as ships infested by stink bugs may be refused entry into certain countries, it is important that ship operators and their crews are familiar with the BMSB seasonal measures applicable at any given time. Crews must stay vigilant to the presence of BMSB and other exotic insects onboard and report any onboard detections to the quarantine authorities at the ship’s destination.

Not sure if the insect onboard your vessels is a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug? Click HERE to find out.

New Zealand and Australia have joined forces to keep the bug out

In response to the rapid expansion of BMSB throughout Europe and North America, New Zealand and Australia continue to enforce seasonal measures to keep the bugs out of their countries. The two countries have also worked closely together to align their requirements as much as possible. However, there are still differences in requirements and port-of-entry procedures between the two countries due to domestic regulations and policies. All stakeholders in the import and shipping industries, including ship masters and crew, must therefore be familiar with the requirements for each country to ensure compliance.

This year’s risk season started on 1 September 2024 and we encourage Members and clients to visit the Australian and New Zealand authorities’ BMSB websites for detailed and up to date information on their respective seasonal measures:

· Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

· New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries

While the framework of the two countries’ measures remains essentially the same as last season, the following should be noted:

• Seasonal measures apply to certain goods, such as vehicles, machinery parts, tyres, etc., manufactured in or shipped from a target risk country on or after 1 September 2024 and that arrive in New Zealand or Australia before 30 April 2025 (inclusive). The measures can also apply to vessels that berth at, load or transship from target risk countries during the same period.

• The shipped onboard date, as indicated on the bill of lading, is the date used to determine when the goods were shipped. Last season, Australia added Uzbekistan to its list of targeted countries and this season, it has announced that goods shipped from China and South Korea will be subject to heightened surveillance. Thus, goods shipped from the following 41 countries could be affected by the seasonal measures in force:

• The Australian authorities have also identified China and the United Kingdom as ‘emerging risk countries’. This means that vessels carrying goods manufactured in, shipped from, or transshipped in the two countries could be subject to random onshore inspections when they arrive in Australia. The inspection period is between 1 September and 31 December (inclusive) for goods shipped from China, and between 1 December and 30 April (inclusive) for goods shipped from the United Kingdom.

• Furthermore, Australia continues to pay particular attention to ro-ro vessels that berth at, load, or transship in target risk countries during the BMSB risk season and New Zealand upholds its particular focus on goods imported from Italy.

• All BMSB treatment providers in target risk countries must be registered under the two countries’ joint Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme, a scheme which aligns treatment options, rates, and compliance requirements. Full details of the scheme including registration and re-registration forms, and approved treatment providers are available on the Australian website (as the administrator).

• New Zealand and Australia will not conduct BMSB treatments for each other, i.e., goods bound for Australia cannot be treated for BMSB in New Zealand and vice versa.

• Non-compliant goods, i.e., goods subject to mandatory offshore treatment that arrive untreated or treated by an unapproved treatment provider, are likely to be directed for export on arrival.

• The changing risk status of BMSB will be continuously reviewed throughout the season and both countries may adjust their seasonal measures accordingly, e.g., based on detections of BMSB.

Unwanted in Chile too

Similar BMSB management measures also apply to vessels arriving in Chile. The Chilean Agriculture and Livestock Service (Servicio Agricola y Ganadero (SAG)) has declared BMSB as a quarantine pest and requires inspection and fumigation of certain imported products, mainly coming from the United States.

The SAG website provides an overview of Chile’s actions to manage the BMSB risk in English, however, we recommend contacting vessel agents to verify the BMSB measures in force at a given time.