Biosecurity Queensland is reminding the shipping industry of the importance of meeting its biosecurity obligations when conducting in-water cleaning of vessel hulls of invasive plants and animals.
General Manager at Biosecurity Queensland, John Robertson said new vessel biofouling entry requirements in some countries and COVID-19-enforced inactivity, which made ships more susceptible to increased biofouling, meant ship owners were cleaning their vessels more regularly between the usual dry-docking cycles.
“Cleaning vessels out of the water in a slipway or dry dock is always the first preference from a marine biosecurity risk mitigation point of view. However, this is not always possible,” Dr Robertson said.
“We need to ensure this is done in a manner that prevents introducing unwanted invasive marine pests which could have a devastating impact on Queensland’s biosecurity and economy.”
He said that was why it was important to remind ship owners and the in-water vessel cleaning industry to take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risk of introducing or spreading marine pests which often hitch-hiked on ships’ hulls.
Dr Robertson said the Agency worked collaboratively with the industry to protect Queensland’s marine environment from the continuing threat of marine pest introduction.
“In-water cleaning activities are subject to strict national and State guidelines and should not be undertaken without seeking advice and approval from both Biosecurity Queensland and the Department of Environment and Science,” he said.
“Biosecurity Queensland provides advice when ships request in-water cleaning of their hulls in Queensland and works closely with commercial dive and in-water vessel cleaning industry representatives to deal promptly and effectively with detections.”
He said Biosecurity Queensland was also developing additional guidance material on in-water cleaning approval and notification processes to assist ship owners and industry to understand and meet their biosecurity obligations.
