COVID-19 – Australia – requirements for ships arriving from higher risk locations

​The Western Australia (WA) Government has issued a notice regarding ships arriving from "Covid-19 Higher Risk Location".

The locations deemed higher risk are ports on the Indonesian Islands of Java, Kalimantan, the Riau Islands, Bangka Belitung Islands, Lampung and Sulawesi, for the period from 5 November 2021 until 5 February 2022.

The WA Government considers a ship to be a “Higher Risk Vessel” if, at any time in the 28 days before the vessel enters the coastal waters of WA:

• the ship enters a port at a Higher Risk Location; or
• the ship loads or unloads anything at a Higher Risk Location; or
• any person has boarded the vessel at a Higher Risk Location.

Before a Higher Risk Vessel enters the coastal waters of WA, a declaration form must be submitted to the Department of Transport of the WA Government declaring that the ship has complied with WA Government requirements. It must be made by a person authorised by the relevant operator, charterer or agent. 

The prescribed format of the declaration requires that the following details are confirmed during the 28 days prior to the ship's entry into the coastal waters of WA:

• no crew member boarded or left the ship at a Higher Risk Location;
• any shore personnel who boarded the ship at a Higher Risk Location wore a disposable surgical mask or particulate filter respirator that covered their nose and mouth when on the vessel; and
• all crew onboard the ship have received a negative Rapid Antigen Test result at the time of departure from the last port prior to entry into WA.

More details are available here.

Category: COVID-19