Members are advised that the Brazilian Port Health Authority - ANVISA - has notified local Port Agents that vessels will have to present a certificate in relation to pest control on board as per Directive RDC 72. These demands for the Derating / Fumigation Certificate are additional to any Ship Sanitation Certificates.
While at the beginning only selected ports were part of this programme, ANVISA is now extending its ambit to cover more areas. Our understanding is that this is part of a wider project from ANVISA which ultimately may cover all Brazilian ports.
If a vessel is not in possession of the necessary certificate, then it may be necessary to hire an ANVISA approved local company to carry out fumigation / derating on the ship. Thereafter the necessary certificate may then be produced to ANVISA for clearance.
Particuarly important to note is that foreign certificates may not necessarily be accpeted by ANVISA, thus requiring a local company to undertake this work. Members are also asked to note that this local certificate may not necessarily be accepted in ports of other countries.
The cost of such work may be up to USD2,000 and the certificate granted would be valid for six months.
Pursuant to further local regulations, all ships calling at a designated Brazilian port must carry out insect and rodent control every six months, and such measures need to be properly recorded in the vessel's logs and be evidenced by appropriate certificates.
Records may need to include the following information and be signed off by the responsible technical person from the Ship-Owner or Technical Manager's side:
i. the method of control and the type of control
ii. "dosage" of any chemicals applied and where
iii. confirmation of the use of any chemicals and that these fall within permitted concentrations
The vessel may also need to ensure that any containers and packaging of any chemicals used, are properly and carefully disposed of. This may also be subject to inspection and record. Members and their Technical Managers would be well advised to check and confirm which chemicals are approved by ANVISA from time to time for the use in pest and rodent control.
Infringement of the rules may lead to the impositon of a fine, but it can take some significant time before the fine is determined and imposed. In the meantime the vessel may experience delay in case an infringement of the rules is found to have occurred and / or remedial action is demanded by ANVISA.
In case Members have further queries, they are asked to contact the Association.
The Association is grateful to Correspondents Brazil P&I for providing this information.