1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its 100th session, agreed to revise the
Inspection programmes for cargo transport units carrying dangerous goods
(MSC.1/Circ.1442, as amended by MSC.1/Circ.1521), in order to broaden the
inspection programmes for cargo transport units (CTUs).
2 In this context, the Committee, at its 105th session (20 to 29 April 2022),
approved Guidelines for the implementation of the inspection programmes for cargo
transport units (MSC.1/Circ.1649). In doing so, provisions on pest
contamination were also included to be covered by the inspection programmes and be
checked for compliance with applicable standards.
3 Additionally, the Committee, considering that minimizing pest contamination of CTUs
and their cargoes is a shared responsibility of all parties in the international
transport and supply chains, and acknowledging that a non-exhaustive list of
voluntary guidance available on pest contamination would serve the following
purposes:
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.1 enhance awareness of available voluntary instruments;
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.2 promote the implementation of such instruments by the Member States and
parties that conduct inspections of CTUs;
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.3 provide additional material to Member Governments in preparing/updating
relevant domestic legislation in regard to the inspection of pest
contamination for the CTUs;
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.4 harmonize all instruments providing guidance on pest contamination; and
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.5 minimize pest contamination of CTUs and their cargoes to help reduce and
slow the introduction and spread of pests through international commerce,
which might pose a serious risk to agriculture, forestry, natural resources,
flora and fauna,
approved the List of non-exhaustive voluntary guidance on pest contamination,
as set out in the annex.
4 Member Governments are invited to bring the List to the attention of all parties
concerned, including CTU inspectors, shippers, packers, dock workers, shipowners,
ship operators, masters and crews.