Due to the upcoming seasonal risk of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) in Australia and New Zealand. The 2025–26 BMSB risk season begins on 1 September 2025.
The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) is an invasive pest that damages fruit and vegetable crops. Native to East Asia, it has spread to North America and Europe but is not established in countries like Australia, New Zealand and Chile.
BMSB is a hitchhiker pest that shelters in cargo during colder months, making vessels a key pathway for its spread. Regulations require importers to treat and certify high-risk cargo from affected countries, but vessel operators may also be impacted. Non-compliant cargo can lead to denied port entry, delays and disruptions.
Crews must be aware of seasonal biosecurity measures and report any suspected sightings to quarantine authorities. Australia and New Zealand enforce strict seasonal controls, though national procedures differ. The 2025–26 BMSB risk season begins on 1 September 2025.
Key facts for the 2025–26 season
As stated, the overall regulatory framework and seasonal BMSB measures implemented by the two countries remains largely unchanged and the following should be noted:
Targeted goods:
- Measures apply to certain goods, such as vehicles, machinery parts, tyres, wood articles, and other items, shipped from designated risk countries between 1 September 2025 and 30 April 2026 (inclusive).
- Goods in fully enclosed containers that have been loaded and sealed prior to 1 September may be exempted from the BMSB management requirements.
- The shipped onboard date on the bill of lading usually determines whether goods fall within the risk period.
Target risk countries:
New Zealand and Australia commonly identify the following 38 countries as target risk countries for BMSB management: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United States.
Additionally:
- Australia includes Uzbekistan as a target risk country, and specifies that vessels from Japan will receive heightened vessel surveillance only.
- Australia identifies United Kingdom, China, Japan, and South Korea as emerging risk countries. Vessels from these countries may be subject to random inspections.
- Australia enforces heightened surveillance for roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessels that call at, load, or transship in target risk countries, as well as in China, Japan, and South Korea.
- New Zealand maintains particular focus on containers imported from Italy.
BMSB treatment requirements:
- Australia and New Zealand have aligned their BMSB treatment rates to simplify compliance for shippers, exporters, importers, and treatment providers. A joint list of approved offshore BMSB treatment providers, administered by DAFF, has been established.
- New Zealand and Australia will not conduct treatments for each other, i.e., goods bound for New Zealand cannot be treated for BMSB in Australia, and vice versa.
- Goods eligible for BMSB treatment exemptions may differ between the two countries.
- New Zealand requires all treatment to be completed prior to arrival.
- Australia, however, may permit on-arrival treatment for goods shipped in hard side containers.
- Non-compliant goods, such as those untreated or treated by unapproved providers, are likely to be denied discharge or directed for export.
Furthermore, similar BMSB management measures apply to vessels arriving in Chile, where the Chilean Agriculture and Livestock Service (Servicio Agricola y Ganadero (SAG)) has declared BMSB as a quarantine pest, Gard highlighted.
SAG requires inspection and fumigation of certain imported products, particularly those shipped from the United States.