Sea Containers

Stop Pests Arriving on Sea Containers

Sea containers are a passenger service for pests. The painted apple moth and the recently discovered fall webworm probably entered New Zealand on sea containers. Both these moths could be disastrous for New Zealand's native forests.

The use of sea containers has increased by 180% in the last ten years. Currently over 400,000 shipping containers enter New Zealand each year. Biosecurity measures have failed to keep pace with increase in containerisation. A MAF review of sea container biosecurity has revealed major problems with the current inspection regime.

Routine inspections find only 1 in 20 insects and spiders according to a recent MAF review of shipping containers. Fewer than 1 in 4 containers are actually inspected. The system needs major improvements. Biosecurity Minister Jim Sutton has expressed concern about the cost of inspections. But what is more important is the cost of not inspecting containers. The budget for painted apple moth eradication is $90 million. That does not include the disruption to peoples lives caused by the eradication programme or the cost to the environment should eradication efforts fail.

National Party biosecurity spokesperson Shane Arden and Green Party biosecurity spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street have made strong stands about the need to improve border biosecurity.

What you can do

You can do your bit to help protect nature from introduced pests by writing to Biosecurity Minister Jim Sutton and other politicians urging them to require all sea containers to be inspected.

Write letters to National Party biosecurity spokesperson Shane Ardern and Green Party biosecurity spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street congratulating them for taking a strong stand on border biosecurity.

Key points for letters to Members of Parliament

Protecting New Zealand’s natural environment is important. New Zealand committed to protecting New Zealand’s natural environment from pests when it signed the Convention on Biological Diversity at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. New Zealand’s natural environment is particularly vulnerable to the impact of pests and diseases.
Eradication is not always feasible and is usually expensive. It is better to keep pests out of New Zealand rather than deal with them once they arrive.
Sea container biosecurity is inadequate and is putting New Zealand’s environment at risk.
Every shipping container should be thoroughly checked inside and out.
There should be strong penalties for breaking the rules by bringing in contaminated shipping containers.
All inspections should be carried out by MAF staff, not by employees of the transitional facilities where containers are opened.

Send a letter now - it WILL make a difference

Email a minister or post them a letter at Parliament Buildings, Wellington (no stamp required).

Hon Jim Sutton: jim.Sutton@parliament.govt.nz
Shane Ardern: shane.ardern@parliament.govt.nz
Ian Ewen-Street: ian.ewen-street@parliament.govt.nz

More information about sea containers

This page was updated on 15 April, 2005