The Australian Government has announced that all persons entering Australia must undertake a precautionary self-isolation period for 14 days upon entry to the country. This applies to any person entering Australia, including Australian citizens and permanent residents. Persons who are entering Australia for less than 14 days must self-isolate for the entire duration of their stay.
These measures apply to all people entering Australia including via aircraft and vessels. The travel restrictions for mainland China, Iran, the Republic of Korea and Italy remain in place for all travellers including maritime crew.
For all commercial vessels arriving from any port outside Australia:
- All vessel masters must answer health screening questions as part of their entry reporting.
- ABF and Biosecurity officers remain responsible for border clearance processes. Vessels that report ill persons with relevant symptoms will undergo a human health inspection by a Biosecurity Officer on arrival in Australia, and before the vessel is granted pratique.
Crew members on a vessel:
- All crew must remain on-board while the vessel is berthed in Australia.
- Crew are able to disembark to conduct vessel functions and crew must wear personal protective equipment while performing these functions.
- Crew must also use personal protective equipment in public spaces on board the vessel whilst non-crew members are on board.
- These restrictions apply until 14 days has elapsed since the vessel departed the last port before Australia, unless crew are unwell or there is a suspected case of COVID-19 on-board.
- The period maritime crew spend at sea prior to their arrival in Australia counts towards the 14-day period of self-isolation. In practice, if a vessel has travelled for ten days since last being in a foreign port, the period of precautionary self-isolation for its crew members would be the remaining four days.
- Once the 14 days has elapsed and provided all crew are well and there is no sign of illness in any crew member, crew are permitted to take shore leave.
- Where a crew member is signing off a vessel (within the 14 day period) and remaining in Australia they must self-isolate at their accommodation for the remainder of the 14 day self-isolation period.
- Crew members departing Australia may proceed directly to the airport and depart; or they must self-isolate at their accommodation until the time they proceed to the airport.
Crew travelling to Australia (by aircraft) to join a vessel must adhere to the following arrangements:
- On arrival in Australia crew may take a domestic flight/s to their final destination to meet their vessel but must self-isolate at their accommodation if they have a layover at any time.
- Crew must proceed directly to the vessel or their accommodation.
- If not joining the vessel immediately, crew must self-isolate at their accommodation.
- Once on the vessel, crew members may leave the vessel to undertake vessel functions and must wear personal protective equipment while performing these functions.
- International crew members joining a commercial vessel voyage are subject to a 14 day self-isolation period. Crew are permitted to transit through Australia but must remain in the port or airport, or self-isolate in accommodation for the duration of their transit. Crew must self-isolate at their final destination for the remainder of the 14 days.
(For information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at [email protected])
Source: Australian Border Force updated dated 19 March 2020
