The IPPC Guidelines on Sea Container Surveys for NPPOs are now available in all FAO languages!

The IPPC Guidelines on Sea Container Surveys provide guidance to national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) on how to inspect and record contamination details in a consistent and harmonized manner when undertaking the sea container cleanliness surveys. The Guidelines have been developed by the Sea Container Task Force (SCTF) - a sub-group of the IPPC Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC).

The Guidelines and accompanying excel sheets for recording and reporting information, as well as building a database useful for analysis are available in all FAO languages at: https://www.ippc.int/en/core-activities/capacity-development/guides-and-training-materials/

Anticipated impact

The Guidelines provide detailed information on sampling, inspection procedures, reporting and report keeping.

The adoption of the Guidelines by NPPOs would make it possible to analyze the uptake and impact the IMO/ILO/ UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code) has had on reducing pest movement by sea containers and their cargo. The analysis would allow the SCTF to make appropriate recommendations. For this reason, it is important that each NPPO take part in the sea containers survey and follow the Guidelines to capture the data in a consistent, reliable and measurable manner.

Procedures to be followed:

• NPPOs are encouraged to establish sea containers surveys following the inspection procedures described in the Guidelines.

• Completed recording forms should be sent to the IPPC Secretariat ([email protected] ) with the email subject line Sea Container Survey Results and the submitter s contact information.

Deadline for submitting recording forms to the IPPC Secretariat:

It is expected that NPPOs will establish national sea containers surveys based on the Guidelines.

Recording forms should be submitted to the IPPC Secretariat by 30 July 2019 to allow for analysis before the SCTF September 2019 meeting.

If you have any questions regarding the Guidelines, please contact Ketevan Lomsadze ([email protected]).

IMPORTANT NOTE

The SCTF Questionnaire (shared with NPPOs earlier this year) to aggregate information on current practices and existing resources is due 16 August 2019. Please do not wait for the establishment of the survey procedures as described in the Guidelines to answer the Questionnaire.

Future steps

The results of the survey will be analyzed and shared with contracting parties.

Further information on sea containers can be found at https://www.ippc.int/en/core-activities/capacity-development/sea-containers/