ORLY, France: August 30, 2019. Global freight forwarder Bansard International is warning its customers they are subject to a new Australian import regulation between September 01 this year and May 31, 2020 to combat the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB), a dangerous pest known to travel in a wide variety of shipped materials.

Export shipments from Europe, North America and West-Asia are now subject to the new regulation covering "target high-risk goods" and will be require mandatory treatment for BMSB prior to departure.

Products include explosives, wood items, most types of metals, cutlery, electrical machinery, salts, fertilizers, plastics, and printed books.

Bansard says shippers must be responsible for treatment in the export country of origin by a centre approved by the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR). If the goods are not treated or are treated by an unapproved provider, they may be subject to onshore treatment or else refused entry entirely, according to the forwarder.

DAWR-approved methods of treating the bugs include heat treatments, methyl bromide fumigation or sulfuryl fluoride fumigation.

In a related announcement, Bansard has has appointed M. Laurent Deneubourg as the company’s new global director of Airfreight. He has extensive knowledge of the freight industry with over 13 years at Panalpina and five years with Geodis. His last position was head of Airfreight at Geodis Freight Forwarding France.

Pictured: An adult brown marmorated stink bug (courtesy Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida).