Break bulk goods

Targeted risk goods shipped as break bulk (not in containers) from 1 September 2017 and before 30 April 2018 from Italy and all year round for the USA, must be treated before they arrive. This applies unless they are under MPI-approved safeguarding arrangements. If you want to import under safeguarding arrangements, refer to the 'Use safeguarding arrangements' section below.

Break-bulk vehicles and machinery that don't come from Italy or the USA, but are transhipped through Italy or the USA, don't require treatment, but must:

• have been on the port of export and any following transit port in a BMSB area for no more than 120 hours
• be separated from all untreated high-risk BMSB cargo at all times.

If your goods arrive untreated, we may refuse their release and reship them.

From 19 February 2018, exports from Japan of used:

• vehicles (cars and trucks) must be processed by an MPI-approved vehicle system
• machinery or other types of used vehicles must provide certification of cleaning by an MPI-approved cleaning provider.

Find approved vehicle systems and cleaning providers

Read our guidance for imports from Japan [PDF, 239 KB]

Goods in containers

Vehicles and machinery shipped as FCL (full container load) and FCX (full container load from multiple suppliers) must meet the same requirements as break bulk goods.

If loaded from 1 September 2017 and before 30 April 2018 for Italy and all year round for the USA, they must be treated before they arrive, or on arrival. This applies to all target goods except those under MPI-approved safeguarding arrangements.

Containerised goods may be treated up to 21 days before they are shipped.

FCL/FCX containerised vehicles and machinery that arrive in New Zealand untreated will require treatment onshore. Importers or agents can choose treatment at either:

• the port of arrival, or
• an MPI-approved transitional facility capable of fumigation.

State your chosen option when applying for a Biosecurity Authority Clearance Certificate (BACC), to minimise delays.

You now have up to 72 hours from the date of discharge at the port of arrival to complete treatment. MPI will monitor and enforce this time restriction.

All containerised goods from Hungary, Italy, Japan, and the USA are at risk of carrying BMSB and may be inspected.

Fresh produce and seed from Italy

Containers of imported fresh produce and seed from Italy require treatment at the treatment rates in the MPI standard Approved Biosecurity Treatments. Routine border inspection requirements in the relevant IHSs still apply after treatment.

• Download the Approved Biosecurity Treatments standard [PDF, 1.3 MB]

 Some containers treated as break bulk

We class flat racks, open top and soft top containers as break bulk because BMSB could escape from them. If these arrive untreated, they may not be allowed off the ship and be reshipped.

Exempt containers

You don't have to treat:

• reefer (refrigerated) containers with frozen goods at -4°C or less
• sealed containers (not flat racks, open-sided, open-top or soft-top containers) from non-BMSB countries but transhipped through Italy or the USA.

Treatment options

Goods must be treated using one of the following: 

• Heat treatment at 60°C for 10 minutes for items weighing less than 3000kg
• Heat treatment at 60°C for 20 minutes for items weighing more than 3000kg
• Methyl bromide fumigation at 48g/m³ for 24 hours at 10°C to 15°C
• Methyl bromide fumigation at 40g/m³ for 24 hours at 15°C to 21°C
• Sulfuryl fluoride fumigation at 16g/m³ for 12 hours with a minimum dose reading of 8g/m³ at a temperature of 10°C  or greater to achieve a CT (concentration x time exposure) of 144 gh/m³.

Check for approved treatment providers

If you're importing new and used vehicles and machinery as air freight, they don't require treatment, but we will assess them and they may require treatment or inspection or both.

Alternative treatments

Where fumigation or heat treatment is likely to permanently damage sensitive freight, MPI will consider alternative measures, for example:

• lower methyl bromide rates
• fogging with an insecticide like permethrin.

MPI may inspect the freight after treatment at a transitional facility. We'll base our approval and inspection decision on BMSB risk assessments for each sensitive cargo consignment.

To request a risk assessment and approval for alternative treatment, contact your local MPI office or the Target Evaluation Team.

• Border clearance contact list

Treatment time before loading

Break-bulk goods must be treated within:

• 120 hours of loading for shipment from Italy
• 144 hours of loading for shipment from the West Coast of the USA
• 96 hours of loading for shipment from the East Coast of the USA.

Treatment of cargo in containers may be:

• up to 21 days before shipping
• within 72 hours of arrival at the place of first arrival in New Zealand or transitional facility.

Treatment of containers before shipping is preferred and will help with clearance of your goods when they arrive.

Keep treated and untreated goods apart

To avoid cross-contamination, we recommend you keep treated and untreated break-bulk goods separated both on the wharf before loading and on the vessel.

All break-bulk cargo of vehicles and machinery from Italy or the USA must be separated from untreated high risk cargo. If it isn't, we may refuse discharge or require treatment.

Break-bulk cargo of vehicles and machinery that isn't from Italy or the USA, but is trans-shipped through these countries doesn't require treatment, but must be separated from untreated high risk BMSB cargo. 

You can use safeguarding (an MPI approved system) as an alternative to the pre-shipment treatment requirements. Safeguarding is a detailed pest risk management system that can be used by industry outside of New Zealand. Safeguarding arrangements must be approved by MPI before the goods are shipped.

Find out more about safeguarding eligibility and requirements on the MPI website.

Vehicle clearance systems

We recommend you send us the correct documents at least 48 hours before the goods arrive.
If the required documents aren't submitted in time or are incomplete, the goods will be regarded as untreated and directed for treatment onshore.

If you are importing break-bulk goods and documentation doesn't show they have been treated correctly, we may re-ship them at your expense.

Treatment certificate

Treatment certificates must:

• identify the cargo treated and include a unique identifiable link to the consignment
• specify the date of BMSB treatment, the type of treatment, and the treatment duration
• state the actual concentration of gas (if fumigated) achieved and temperature inside the enclosure
• declare that the goods were treated prior to any plastic wrapping.

Bill of lading

The bill of lading must include the shipped on board date. MPI uses this date as the date shipped from the USA or Italy to decide whether goods are subject to the seasonal requirements.

Requirements for the 2017 to 2018 BMSB season

Certain brand new (not field tested) items are exempt from BMSB measures if they are packaged appropriately and shipped in containers for direct retail or wholesale sale. Packaging must be done with:

• cartons or on pallets immediately after manufacture
• impervious packaging at a subsequent packing point under the direct control of the manufacturer. 

Items repackaged at a separate location that isn't controlled by the manufacturing company aren't exempt because cross-contamination with BMSB could occur.

Exempt items include: 

• bakery, food processing and restaurant equipment
• bicycles and bicycle parts
• boat parts
• car parts
• children's toys such as skateboards
• exercise equipment, for example, exercycles, rowing machines, and treadmills
• filters
• hand tools and hardware and home handyman items
• household appliances and their parts. For example, dishwashers, dryers, vacuums, washing machines, or waste disposal units for domestic use
• laboratory equipment (except for large used units in the list of included items)
• motorbikes, motor scooters, quad bikes, and their parts
• new tyres (containerised)
• non-motorised children's scooters
• power tools for domestic or home handyman use.

All exemptions are subject to size and prior use. For example, items may not be exempt if they are very large or have been field tested.

If you believe exempt items pose a risk, alert MPI and we'll make sure they are held and fumigated appropriately.

Note, items such as prams, heaters and kitchen implements are no longer classed as machinery.  The holds on the associated tariff codes were removed on 22 September 2017. Importers and agents no longer need to apply for an eBACCa for goods that were previously under BMSB requirements, unless the goods are under a separate risk tariff.