Maritime border control
Maritime vessels arriving in New Zealand from overseas are subject to entry requirements. A number of these relate to potential public health risks, such as ill-health among passengers and crew, or the presence of vectors such as rodents on board.
The primary aim of these requirements is to prevent the international spread of disease or other public health risks.
Passengers on vessels arriving in New Zealand need to fill out a Passenger Arrival Card (New Zealand Customs Service website). This contains information required by the various New Zealand government agencies. Copies of the card are provided on arriving vessels.
There are also a number of specific border health protection and procedural requirements that those in charge of vessels entering New Zealand need to comply with. These are described in the sections below.
In this section
- In order to receive pratique, or quarantine clearance, an arriving vessel must submit an Advance Notice of Arrival Form containing important health information at least 48 hours before arrival. This should be followed by a ‘no change of status report’ or notice of any illness 12–24 hours before arrival. Read more
- Vessels arriving in New Zealand are required to submit a Maritime Declaration of Health. This covers the conditions on board during the voyage and the health status of passengers and crew. Read more
- Health officials will grant pratique or health clearance to a ship provided the Advance Notice of Arrival form and a ‘no change of health status’ message are received, and they are satisfied no quarantinable disease or threat to public health is on board the vessel. Read more
- Quarantine requirements do not apply to all vessels. Yachts, navy vessels, and foreign vessels that have only been ‘at sea’ since receiving pratique at a New Zealand port do not need to provide some of the documentation that most vessels have to. However, if a communicable disease is known or suspected, they may still be quarantinable. Read more
- When in harbour or on New Zealand waters, the Master of a ship must inform local health authorities when any person on board has symptoms indicating a notifiable infectious disease. Read more
- Vessels travelling international waters are required to hold a current Ship Sanitation Certificate or Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate. These can be issued at many New Zealand ports following inspection by local health officials. Read more
- Cruise ships have the same arrival requirements as other vessels. Public health officials may inspect cruise vessels as part of a First Arrival Survey programme, and can provide assistance in assessment of sanitation practices, illness prevention and control strategies, and arranging laboratory analyses. Read more
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Page last updated: 05 December 2011
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