The Australian Department of Health led Australia’s response to COVID-19. During the pandemic they issued a COVID-19 fact sheet for the maritime industry. This fact sheet applied to all international voyages entering Australia, except for cruise ships. We recommended that you read this fact sheet prior to entering Australia.
The Department of Health also published information about routine environmental cleaning and disinfection in the community that covers cleaning requirements for frequently touched surfaces and minimally touched surfaces. This advice is directly applies to the maritime environment.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has provided a list of statements, advice from member states and other communications on its website.
Australian ports
There are no Australian ports closed to commercial ships.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) and Biosecurity officers from the Department of Agriculture remain responsible for border clearance processes in Australian ports.
AMSA continues to conduct port State control inspections of foreign-flagged ships.
For any specific queries about arrivals or departures, ship operators and masters are encouraged to contact local port authorities via their ship agent.