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Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Import
  4. Arrival of goods in Australia
  5. Clearance and inspection
  6. Container and break-bulk discharge

Sidebar first - Import

  • Clearance and inspection
    • Abandoned goods notice
    • Air courier fees
    • Cargo compliance verification
    • Documentary requirements for imported goods
      • Lodgement of import documentation via email
      • Entity Identifier (AEI)
    • Clearance of cargo containers
    • Container and break bulk discharge
      • Notification form for container and break bulk arrival/s
    • Request for inspection form
    • Request for permission to dispose of goods/conveyance

Container and break-bulk discharge

Break-bulk discharge

A Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment biosecurity officer must receive notification prior to the discharge of break-bulk cargo.

Biosecurity officers conduct surveillance inspections of break-bulk cargo to ensure freedom from contaminants that pose a biosecurity risk. Break-bulk cargo or non-containerised cargo, including new motor vehicles, must be examined externally for soil and other contamination and treated if necessary.

To facilitate the biosecurity risk assessment on break-bulk cargo being discharged form vessels, provide your regional office with:

  • vessel name, Lloyd registration no., voyage no., port and berth of discharge
  • date and times when discharging/delivering cargo
  • marks and description of break-bulk being discharged and delivered
  • general cargo description and quantity
  • if direct lifting ('under the hook delivery') is to occur, date, times and contact detail.
  • any dunnage accompanying the consignment

Provide discharge details of break-bulk cargo to your regional office by email or fax at least 24 hours prior to vessel arrival on weekdays and by 1400hrs on Fridays for weekend discharge.

The Notification of container and break-bulk arrival/s form is an example of what may be used to provide the department with notification of the arrival of break-bulk cargo. 

After providing us with these details, biosecurity officers will target specific cargo for external examination and, if required, order contaminated cargo to be treated prior to the cargo being released from the discharge/wharf area.

We seek your cooperation with this request. Failure to supply the required information within the requested timeframe may significantly delay the release of cargo.

Contact a biosecurity officer in your region with any questions about surveillance of break-bulk cargo.

Container discharge (at non-dedicated container terminals)

The department must receive notification prior to the discharge of containers at non-dedicated container terminals.

The Notification of container and break-bulk arrival/s form can also be used to advise the biosecurity officer about container discharges at non-dedicated container terminals. Please complete this form as appropriate and forward to a biosecurity officer in your region.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment regional contacts for container/break-bulk discharge

CE Region - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Sydney 0408 179 487 N/A Sydney Seaports
Newcastle 02 4935 6700 N/A Newcastle
Port Kembla 02 4258 1150
0409 049 665
02 4258 1151 Port Kembla

 

NE Region - Break-Bulk Notifications
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Brisbane 07 3895 9726
0400 919 001
07 3895 9727 AAT Bookings

 

NE Region - BNE - Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Brisbane 07 3895 9777
0400 919 001
07 3895 9727 FI Appointments

 

NE Region - REGIONAL - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Bundaberg 07 4252 2511 07 4153 1457 Biosecurity Bundaberg
Townsville 07 4789 7888 07 4789 7821 Biosecurity Townsville
Gladstone 07 4976 6600 07 4976 6600 Biosecurity Gladstone
Mackay 07 4955 9600 07 4955 9699 Biosecurity Mackay

 

SE Region - MEL - Break-Bulk Notifications
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Melbourne 03 8387 0100, 0417 682 985 N/A Break Bulk Victoria South East Ports

 

SE Region - MEL - Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Melbourne 03 8387 0100 N/A Cal Screener VIC
 

 

SE Region - REGIONAL - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Portland 03 5523 3077 03 5523 5697 Portland Seaports (Shipping)
Portland Quarantine (Imports)
Hobart 03 6233 3352 N/A Seaports Tasmania
Devonport 03 6421 7622 N/A Seaports Tasmania
Burnie 03 6434 4016 N/A Seaports Tasmania
Bell Bay 03 6398 8400 N/A Seaports Tasmania

 

SW Region - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Esperance 08 9072 0460 ,
0428 101 316
N/A Esperance Quarantine
Fremantle 08 6232 7000 N/A Cargo Integrity Unit Fremantle
Geraldton 08 9965 5786,
0427 001 763
08 9965 4570 Geraldton Quarantine
Dampier 08 9142 0350 08 9185 1207 Karratha Quarantine
Karratha 08 9142 0350
0409 225 805

08 9762 7300
0413 156 965
08 9185 1207

08 9762 7309
Karratha Quarantine

Bunbury Quarantine
Walcott
Bunbury
Albany 08 9841 4388
0429 001 208
08 9866 7426 Albany Quarantine
Port Hedland 08 9132 0275 08 9173 2743 Port Hedland Quarantine
Broome 08 9194 1200 0476 801 776 08 9193 5236 Broome Seaports

 

SW Region - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Adelaide 1800 900 090 N/A CargoSA@awe.gov.au
Port Pirie 1800 900 090 N/A CargoSA@awe.gov.au

 

Northern Region - Break-Bulk and Container Notifications (at non-dedicated container terminals)
Ports Phone Fax E-mail
Darwin 08 8998 4995 0409 678 675 N/A Cargo NT
Cairns 07 4030 7852 N/A CDO Cairns

Contacts

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Last updated: 14 December 2021

© Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.