Responsibilities                                                                                

Commercial airlines and the cruise ship operators or their agents are responsible for:

1. identification of the passengers and their baggage, and the presentation of this to the authorities;
2. ensuring aircrew and crew provide assistance to the biosecurity service where it is necessary to identify the consignments in transit; and
3. informing the biosecurity service of scheduled arrivals of international flights/vessels and changes to these schedules.

Civil aviation and the port authority are responsible for:

1. providing the biosecurity service with details of international arrivals of commercial, military, private aircraft or vessels;
2. facilities at the port of entry for the safe and secure storage (quarantine) of the consignments in transit; and
3. provision of safe and secure transport of the consignments in transit to and from the conveyance (ship to aircraft and/or vice versa) (This is the responsibility of the airline/ship agent in some countries.)

The regional biosecurity officer is responsible for:

1. allocating sufficient staff and other resources to the airport and port to effectively implement this procedure; and
2. periodically reviewing the performance of this procedure, testing improvements and, where they improve the effectiveness of the procedure and are practical, implementing the changes.

The senior biosecurity officer is responsible for:

1. consulting with the regional biosecurity officer to arrange for adequate staff to effectively verify and /or monitor consignments on all arriving international flights or voyages;
2. liaison with government, industry and other groups to improve the delivery of these procedures;
3. attending meetings with government, industry and other groups on port of entry facilitation; (customs, airport authority, ports authority, etc.)
4. ensuring that the biosecurity officers know what procedures are to be used prior to the arrival of the flight and ship.

Biosecurity officers are responsible for:

1. prior to the arrival of the flight, finding out what consignments are to be moved in transit to other departing flights or departures;
2. at the point of entry, the identification and marking of the consignments in transit and, where relevant, their secure storage;
3. surveillance of approved quarantine areas at the airport and port to ensure that consignments remain in transit or are transported in an approved manner; and
4. recording details of each of these consignments on the Cargo Action Sheet.

Chief veterinary officers are responsible for:

1. examination of animals to ensure that they are in good health; and
2. advice on the health of animals and their destruction if infirm or dead.

Customs officers are responsible for:

1. cooperating with biosecurity officers in screening documents for biosecurity risk material and detention of consignments in transit; and
2. providing biosecurity in all ports with details of consignments moved under transit requirements and not releasing them unless cleared by biosecurity.