BIMCO advises members to check clauses as Asian gypsy moth season starts
Overview
The Asian gypsy moth (AGM) flight season is just around the corner. BIMCO advises its members to pay attention to the possible consequences of calling at ports where the AGM is indigenous or established.
** ASIAN GYPSY MOTH IS NOW KNOWN AS FLIGHTED SPONGY MOTH COMPLEX **
Not all countries have introduced the new name yet, but BIMCO has decided to standardise on Flighted Spongy Moth Complex, abbreviated to FSMC.
Members need to be aware if calling ports in the following countries:
- Russian Far East
- China
- Republic of Korea/Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea
- Japan
- Vietnam
Please be aware the list only serves as a guidance, and therefore, confirmation or changes should be gathered from the port agent.<
AGM is subject to spread like a wildfire unless active efforts are made to contain the spread. If allowed, the AGM will spread to areas where it’s not indigenous and cause great damage to agriculture and forestry and associated commerce. Calling above mentioned ports in the high-risk season will make the vessel subject to inspection in other areas of the pacific region, notably:
- Canada
- USA
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
If the vessel is found to be infested by AGM, authorities can order the vessel out of territorial waters thereby affecting the revenue of the vessel.
Distribution
AGM is attracted to light, and as such the eggs will usually be found on parts of the vessel subject to lumination. The egg mass can easily be scraped off and destroyed using either alcohol, boiling water or incineration. After the eggs hatches, the larvae eats vegetation, primarily leaf, before entering the pupae stage for another 10-14 days. Finally, the moth stage will last 2-3 weeks, during which the only purpose is to mate and lay eggs. The male moth dies after mating, while the female dies after laying eggs.
Subject to the local climate, the final moth stage of AGM will be in the period from end May through September, according to the table below, supplied by the North American Plant Protection Organization:
| Country | Risk Area | Specified Risk Period |
| Russian Far East | South of 60o North and west of 147o longitude (excluding those ports on the Kamchatka Peninsula) | July 1 to September 30 |
| China | North of latitude of 31o 15' N | June 1 to September 30 |
| Republic of Korea | In all areas | June 1 to September 30 |
| Japan – Northern | In prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima | July 1 to September 30 |
| Japan –Western | In prefectures of Akita, Yamagata, Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa | June 25 to September 15 |
| Japan – Eastern | In prefectures of Fukui, Ibaraki, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie | June 20 to August 20 |
| Japan – Southern | In prefectures of Wakayama, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Kagawa, Tokushima, Ehime, Kochi, Fukuoka, Oita, Saga, Nagasaki, Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima | June 1 to August 10 |
| Japan – Far Southern | In prefecture of Okinawa | May 25 to June 30 |
Precautions
BIMCO encourages members to contact the organisation using marinfo@bimco.org for extended guidance on practical matters. For matters related to contracts and clauses please contact BIMCO Support and advise using advice@bimco.org.
If calling a port listed above during the AGM high-risk period, make sure to get a certificate documenting that the vessel is free of AGM by using one of the listed approved certifiers supplied by the United States Department of Agriculture:
| Region of port | Certifiers |
| Far East Russian ports | Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation |
| Republic of Korea | International Plant Quarantine Accreditation Board (IPAB) |
| China | China Certification and Inspection Group, Ltd |
| Japan |
All Nippon Checkers Corporation (ANCC) Hokkaido Bouekikunjyo Co., LTD (HBKC) Hokuriku Port Service Co., Ltd. (HPS) Intertek Testing Services (Australia) Pty Limited (Pty Ltd) Japan Cargo Tally Corporation (JCTC) Japan Export Vehicle Inspection Center Co., Ltd. (JEVIC) Japan Grain Inspection Association (JGIA) Kanto Fumigation Co., Ltd (KFCO) Keiyochiku Plant Quarantine Association (KPQA) Kobe Plant Quarantine Association (KOBEPQA) Kyoritsu Sanitary Co., Ltd. (KRS) Muroran & Tomakomai Plant Quarantine Association (MTPQA) NAVREX & Corporation (NRX) Nikkun Co., Ltd (NCL) Nippon Kaiji Kentei Kyokai (NKKK) Okayama-Ken Plant Quarantine Association (OKYPQA) Osaka Plant Quarantine Association (OPQA) Osaka Timber Quarantine Association (OSKTQA) Shin Nihon Kentei Kyokai (SNKK) Techno Kasei Co., Ltd. (TKL) Tokai Plant Quarantine Association (TOKAIPQA) Tokyo Plant Quarantine Association (TPQA) Yokohama Plant Protection Association (YPPA |
Please be aware that conditions may vary depending on the countries involved, and most often, the vessel will need a certificate if it has called at a high risk country during high risk season within the previous 24 months.
BIMCO AGM clause for time charter parties
BIMCO encourages its members to take any necessary steps to prevent the spread of AGM and other hitchhiker pest. If applicable, amend your contracts with relevant clauses placing the basic obligations and responsibilities of the owners and charterers in respect of the AGM. Click here for the BIMCO AGM clause.
Download RELATED Documents
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AGM Pocket guide 0.1 MB
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USDA AGM Procedures 0.2 MB
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Feedback or a question about this information?
Posted:
27 June 2019
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