Who does this notice affect?

All vessel owners, operators, masters, and shipping agents who represent international commercial vessels including cruise vessels, preparing for arrival in Australian territory, or reporting a voyage change.

What has changed?

Australian External Territories (Indian Ocean Territories) Reporting

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department) is making changes to pre-arrival reporting for vessels travelling between the Australian mainland and external territories, and between external territories.

The Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) currently used for reporting, assessments, and management of vessels from Australian External Territories will be decommissioned. All operations and processes undertaken by VMS will be managed through the Maritime and Aircraft Arrivals System (MARS).

From 29 September 2023, vessel masters and agents representing commercial vessels, including cruise vessels, travelling between the Australian mainland and the external territories, and between the external territories, are required to lodge a standard PAR via MARS for the following locations:

• Christmas Island
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands
• Norfolk Island.

All Australian mainland ports will be added to the Last International Port dropdown list on the PAR. This will enable vessel operators and agents to report the movement from the mainland to the external territory and from the external territory to the Australian mainland. The dropdown list will be renamed Last Port.

Vessels travelling to and from Norfolk Island and the mainland are exempt from the pratique process as per the Biosecurity (Human Health) Regulation 2016 with pratique conditions on the Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) stating 'Vessels travelling between mainland Australia and Norfolk Island are exempt from the pratique process (Biosecurity (Human Health) Regulation 2016 Ch6)'.

Vessels travelling to and from Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the Australian mainland are required to undertake the pratique process.

Australian external territories not considered Australian Territory (AETNCAT)

Vessels travelling from the following AETNCAT ports will be added to the dropdown list of AETNCAT port as their last port prior to arriving in Australian waters.

The reporting requirements for these territories remain the same. Vessels will continue to be subject to biosecurity control under the Biosecurity Act 2015 unless otherwise specified.AETNCAT ports are:

• Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island?
• Coral Sea Islands (Willis Island)
• Macdonald Islands
• Heard Island
• Australian Antarctic Territory.

The Australian Antarctic Territory bases are AETNCAT ports and are listed in the MARS Last Port list. There are no changes to these ports. A vessel visiting an AETNCAT location from the mainland will be leaving Australian waters. Similarly, a vessel returning to a mainland port from an AETNCAT location will be considered a new voyage and is required to lodge a new PAR. 

Renaming Willis Group to Coral Sea Islands (Willis Island)

The AETNCAT location listed as Willis Group will be renamed to Coral Sea Islands (Willis Island). The new name –Coral Sea Islands (Willis Island) – will be listed under the Last Port list, to better reflect its legislative status. This port is mostly visited by cruise vessels.

What do you need to do?

Vessel masters and agents are to continue vessel reporting directly into the MARS portal in the usual process as they would for any international arrival, for each visit of the journey (e.g., from mainland Australia to Norfolk Island, and again from Norfolk Island to mainland Australia). The changes will be automated and there is nothing more you need to do other than answer each of the questions on the PAR.

Offline pre-arrival reporting forms can be used by vessel masters or officers where there is limited or unreliable internet connectivity to meet their pre-arrival reporting obligations as an alternative to direct MARS access.

Where can you find the forms?

From 29 September 2023, updated offline forms will be available for use on the department's webpage: MARS offline forms  

Note: Vessel masters and shipping agents should download the latest offline forms to avoid errors and delays when submitting information from the offline forms into MARS.

Vessel masters and shipping agents are reminded:

• to read and understand the Biosecurity Status Document (BSD) directions and conditions and keep a copy of the current document on board the vessel for the duration of the voyage in Australia.
• any changes in circumstances during the voyage in Australian waters, particularly changes to the human health of travellers, must be submitted via MARS or reported to the National Maritime Centre (NMC) as soon as practicable.
• a failure to report accurately or comply with a requirement under the Biosecurity Act 2015 may result in penalties, including infringement notices, civil penalties or criminal prosecutions.

Further information

Contact the department'sNational Maritime Centre (NMC) by email or phone: 1300 004 605 (in Australia) or +61 8 8201 6185 (outside Australia).

View the Vessels webpages for information on Australia's biosecurity reporting obligations and responsibilities.

Read the Biosecurity legislation and the Australian territory webpage for specific details on Australian External Territories.