18Issue of ship sanitation control certificate

18 Issue of ship sanitation control certificate

(1) This section applies if: (a) a biosecurity officer conducts a ship sanitation certification inspection of a vessel; and (b) the officer determines that the level of sanitation health risk associated with the vessel is unacceptable.

Note: Division 5 of Part 2 of Chapter 4 of the Act, and certain other provisions of the Act, apply in relation to the vessel (see section 14 of this Part and section 257 of the Act). Under that Division, a biosecurity officer may require biosecurity measures to be taken in relation to the vessel.

(2) A biosecurity officer must issue a ship sanitation control certificate for the vessel if: (a) the officer is satisfied that: (i) any treatment or other biosecurity measures required to be taken in relation to the vessel under Division 5 of Part 2 of Chapter 4 of the Act have been taken in accordance with any requirements under that Division; and (ii) on completion of any such treatment or other biosecurity measures, the level of sanitation health risk associated with the vessel is acceptable; or (b) it is not practicable for any treatment or other biosecurity measures to be taken in relation to the vessel before the vessel leaves Australian territory. (3) If a ship sanitation control certificate is issued for a vessel under paragraph (2)(a), it must include the following information: (a) the evidence used, following the ship sanitation certification inspection, to determine that the level of sanitation health risk associated with the vessel was unacceptable; (b) details of any treatment or other biosecurity measures that were taken in relation to the vessel following the ship sanitation certification inspection. (4) If a ship sanitation control certificate is issued for a vessel under paragraph (2)(b): (a) the certificate must include the following information: (i) the evidence used, following the ship sanitation certification inspection, to determine that the level of sanitation health risk associated with the vessel was unacceptable; (ii) details of any treatment or other biosecurity measures required to be taken in relation to the vessel; and (b) a biosecurity officer must inform the overseas competent authority, at the next known port outside Australian territory that the vessel intends to enter, of any treatment or other biosecurity measures required to be taken in relation to the vessel. (5) A ship sanitation control certificate issued under subsection (2) must be in the form approved under section 13. (6) A ship sanitation control certificate is in force for 6 months beginning on the day it is issued. (7) A ship sanitation control certificate ceases to be in force for a vessel if a ship sanitation control exemption certificate is issued for the vessel. (8) If a ship sanitation control exemption certificate ceases to be in force for a vessel under subsection 17(4) (because a ship sanitation control certificate is issued for the vessel), a biosecurity officer must note on the ship sanitation control exemption certificate that a ship sanitation control certificate has been issued for the vessel.