Every year, the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) poses a significant biosecurity threat to Australia. To protect our borders, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) enforces strict seasonal measures on sea freight shipments during the stink bug season.

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What’s Changed in 2025/26?

This season, several important updates have been announced:

• Republic of Korea and Japan have been added to the emerging risk countries list.
• Target high-risk goods shipped as airfreight from the USA and China will face random inspections.
• New offshore treatment option: Ethyl Formate has been approved for use.
• New application process applies for BMSB in-transit and rolled cargo policy.

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What is the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB)?

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) is one of the world’s most invasive pests, posing a serious threat to agriculture and global trade. Originally from eastern Asia, it has spread rapidly across the United States and Europe, where infestations have caused billions of dollars in crop losses.

BMSB is a notorious “hitchhiker,” commonly found on imported goods, vehicles, and shipping containers. It feeds on more than 300 plant species, including fruits, vegetables, and ornamental trees. Once established in a new environment, the pest is extremely difficult to eradicate and could have a devastating impact on Australia’s agricultural exports.

The stink bug’s greatest risk period is during the cooler months in the Northern Hemisphere, when it seeks shelter in cargo, containers, vehicles, and machinery. This increases the chance of it being transported to Australia between September and April each year. To manage this risk, Australia enforces some of the strictest seasonal biosecurity measures in the world.

To protect Australia from infestation, the Australian Government has introduced detailed rules and treatment requirements for each BMSB season. This guide outlines the pest itself, along with the updated 2025–26 seasonal measures that importers need to follow.

When is Stink Bug Season 2025/26?

The 2025–26 BMSB season in Australia is from 1 September to 30 April (shipping date) to 30 April 2026 (shipping date).

The shipped on board date, as indicated on the Ocean Bill of Lading, is the date used to determine when goods have been shipped. “Gate in” dates and times will not be accepted to determine when goods are shipped. Container tracking information is not an acceptable form of evidence to verify when goods were loaded on board the vessel or when goods were sealed in a container.

Which Measures Apply to Australian Importers?

Mandatory cargo treatment will apply to certain targeted goods manufactured in or shipped from target risk countries, that have been shipped between 1 September 2025 and 30 April 2026 (inclusive), and to vessels that berth, load, or tranship from target risk countries within the same period.

Non-compliant cargo arriving in Australia can lead to serious consequences for importers. Goods may be directed for onshore treatment at the importer’s expense, if this option is even permitted. In other cases, shipments can be refused discharge altogether or ordered for re-export. Such situations often cause significant delays, additional penalties, and costly storage charges at the port — creating major disruptions to supply chains.

What Countries Are Under BMSB Measures?

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has identified 41 Target Risk Countries for the BMSB 2025–26 season. In addition, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are classified as emerging risk countries only, meaning goods from these nations may be selected for random onshore inspection.

It’s important to note that China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are also subject to heightened vessel surveillance. This applies to all roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels that have berthed, loaded, or transhipped from target risk countries between 1 September 2025 and 30 June 2026. Under this measure, Ro-Ro vessels are required to undergo a mandatory seasonal pest (SP) inspection when they arrive in Australian territory. The inspection applies to the vessel itself only and does not extend to the goods being transported on board.

• Albania
• Andorra
• Armenia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• China (heightened vessel surveillance only)
• Croatia
• Czechia
• France
• Japan (heightened vessel surveillance only)
• Georgia
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Italy
• Kazakhstan
• Republic of Korea (heightened vessel surveillance only)
• Kosovo
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Montenegro
• Moldova
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Republic of North Macedonia
• Romania
• Russia
• Serbia
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Switzerland
• Türkiye
• Ukraine
• United States of America
• Uzbekistan

Which Goods Are Affected?

Not all imports are treated equally under BMSB rules. Goods are categorised into two main risk groups:

Target High-Risk Goods (Mandatory Treatment)

Goods that fall within the following tariff classifications have been categorised as target high risk goods and will require mandatory treatment for BMSB risk if manufactured in or shipped from target risk countries. These include:

• 44 – Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal
• 45 – Cork and articles of cork
• 57 – Carpets and other textile floor coverings
• 68 – Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials
• 69 – Ceramic products – including sub chapters I and II
• 70 – Glass and glass ware
• 72 – Iron and steel – including sub chapters I, II, III, IV
• 73 – Articles of iron or steel
• 74 – Copper and articles thereof
• 75 – Nickel and articles thereof
• 76 – Aluminium and articles thereof
• 78 – Lead and articles thereof
• 79 – Zinc and articles thereof
• 80 – Tin and articles thereof
• 81 – Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof
• 82 – Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal
• 83 – Miscellaneous articles of base metals
• 84 – Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof
• 85 – Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles
• 86 – Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds
• 87 – Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, and parts and accessories thereof
• 88 – Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof
• 89 – Ships, boats and floating structures

These items are favoured by BMSB as hiding places during colder months, which makes them particularly high risk.

Target Risk Goods (Random Inspections)

Goods that fall within the following tariff classifications have been categorised as target risk goods and are only subject to increased onshore intervention through random inspection. Mandatory treatment is not required.

• 27 – Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes
• 28 – Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals, of radioactive elements or of isotopes – including sub chapters I, II, III, IV and V
• 29 – Organic chemicals – including sub chapters I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII and XIII
• 38 – Miscellaneous chemical products
• 39 – Plastics and articles thereof – – including sub chapters I and II
• 40 – Rubber and articles thereof
• 48 – Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard
• 49 – Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans
• 56 – Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns; twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof

Goods shared with other risky goods

For all other goods that are not categorised as target high risk and target risk goods, BMSB seasonal measures do not apply. However, if they are part of a container or consignment that contains target high risk or target risk goods, they will be subject to the measures.

Which Goods Are Exempt?

Some goods are exempt from measures, such as:

• Personal household goods (under concessional tariff 99, though inspections still apply)

• Goods shipped in iso-tanks and as bulk-in-holds of cargo vessels

• Full beverage kegs (declared as a separate commodity with a manufacturer’s declaration)

• New, Unused and not Field Tested (NUFT) goods (manufactured on or after 1 December of the current BMSB season, that fall under tariff chapters 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88 or 89, and and have a valid NUFT manufacturer’s declaration confirming they are new, unused, and not field tested. Refurbished goods do not qualify).

Approved Treatment Types & Providers

All offshore BMSB treatments from target risk countries must be performed by providers set as ‘approved’ by the Australian government and must come with a treatment certificate.

Official list of offshore approved arrangement providers. 

Official list of onshore approved arrangement providers.

The following options are permitted:

• Heat treatment – Sustained high temperatures applied to cargo.
• Methyl Bromide fumigation – Strict dosage requirements apply.
• Sulfuryl Fluoride fumigation – Approved for containerised cargo.
• Ethyl Formate – New option, offshore use only.

Important: Treatments by unapproved providers are invalid. Cargo may be directed for re-export or onshore treatment (if allowed).

Treatment Window

For goods treated before 1 December, a 120-hour post-treatment window applies. This means the goods must be shipped or sealed within 120 hours of treatment being completed (or ventilation commencing, in the case of fumigation).

How the 120-hour window is applied:

• Fumigation – The clock starts when ventilation begins, not when fumigation ends.
• Heat treatment – The timeframe starts immediately once treatment is completed.
• Containerised goods – Must be loaded into a six hard-sided container and sealed within 120 hours. A sealing declaration may be required.
• Break bulk, flat rack, and open top containers – Must be loaded onto a vessel for export within 120 hours. The shipped-on-board date on the Bill of Lading is the only accepted proof. (The “place and date of issue” is not sufficient.)

Note: The 120-hour post-treatment rule does not apply to goods treated in a non-target risk country or goods treated on or after 1 December of the current BMSB season.

Key Rules by Cargo Type

• Break Bulk Cargo (including open top & flat rack containers): Must be treated offshore. Untreated break bulk will be denied discharge or re-exported. FCL containers that have been modified, such as those used to house in-built power generators, filtration plants, portable accommodation etc. are no longer sealed six hard sided containers and are considered to be break bulk cargo.

• Containerised Cargo (FCL/FCX): May be treated offshore or onshore (at the container level only). Deconsolidation or removal of goods from the container will not be permitted prior to treatment.

• LCL & FAK containers: LCL and FAK containers with target high risk goods will be managed at the container level for BMSB risk prior to deconsolidation. Once BMSB risk has been managed, the consignments within these containers will be processed at the Full Import Declaration (FID) level for all other biosecurity intervention (if applicable).

• Airfreight: Random inspections will apply to target high risk goods shipped as airfreight from United States of America and China between 1 September to 30 April (inclusive). BMSB treatment of these goods will not be required.

Our Recommendation

• We strongly recommend arranging offshore treatment for your goods whenever possible. Onshore treatment options in Australia are limited, and your cargo may face delays if placed in a treatment queue.

• If onshore treatment is required, ensure containers are packed in a way that allows effective treatment. Poorly packed containers may be refused treatment and directed for export. To help you prepare, we’ve created a guide with practical tips on how to pack containers for pre-treatment.

• If you’re importing materials, machinery, or tools into Australia, there’s a strong chance your cargo will be classified as target high risk or target risk goods and therefore subject to BMSB seasonal measures. Our expert customs brokers work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to ensure your shipments comply with the latest regulations. Our team can help classify your goods, arrange treatment with approved providers, and manage all required paperwork and documentation on your behalf.

Ship with Confidence This BMSB Season

Don’t let BMSB regulations disrupt your supply chain. At International Cargo Express (ICE), we have the expertise, network, and compliance knowledge to keep your shipments moving smoothly through the 2025/26 stink bug season.

Get in touch with our team today to discuss your cargo requirements and ensure your goods are treated, documented, and cleared without delays.

Download Our BMSB Season FACT SHEET

BMSB Season FAQ