Stink bug infested ships back to Auckland, where they're running out of cars

Saturday, 24 February 2018

Three ships carrying cars that were turned away from Auckland after an infestation of brown marmorated stink bugs was found will have to undergo heat treatment before coming back to NZ.

Ships carrying car imports that had stink bugs on them are on their way back to Auckland, but this time they will bring a massive back log, with one car salesman fearing he's about to run out of stock.

Under new rules by the Ministry of Primary Industries before the returning carriers can unload the imported cars from Japan, 20 per cent of the cargo has to be heat treated before the ships are given the all clear to unload. If any bugs are found during this process MPI can refuse entry to NZ.

Unlike fruit flys, there are no known ways of trapping brown marmorated stink bugs, which could be detrimental to New Zealand.

MPI is doing this in a bid to protect the local economy, as it's a noxious pest and destroys New Zealand's horticultural crops. A report out next week found if the bug enters New Zealand, it could have a $4.2 billion impact.

But, the additional screening has hiccups and those relying on car imports are frustrated.

An anonymous car salesman says some of the ships that were turned away are now returning to Auckland to be fumigated.

The Courageous Ace, a ship carrying a car shipment from Japan unloaded all the cars before being denied entry, and had to reload the cars and sail to Brisbane. It is now returning to Auckland to be fumigated. (file photo)

* Stink bugs discovered on board fourth ship destined for NZ

* Stink bug infestation found on a second ship carrying cars from Japan**

Ports of Auckland spokesman Matt Ball says MPI's new heat treatment could only handle 10 to 15 cars a day.

An Auckland used car salesman, who did not want to be named for fear of hurting his relationship with his importers, said he was running low on stock because of the delays.

He had 16 cars on two of the ships that were turned away from Auckland ports after they had first been unloaded onto the dock.

Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman says research due out this week found if the stink bug estabilishes itself here it would cost the export market $4.2 billion by 2038.

'They took the heavy farm machinery off and fumigated it, and put all the cars back on the ship.'

'It's taken about a month, one ship has been drifting off the coast of Brisbane and couldn't get fumigated there because the swells [from Tropical Storm Gita] were too big.'

A brown marmorated stink bug has already been reported in New Zealand by travellers who find them in their suitcases, and hotel cleaning staff.

That ship was returning to Auckland to get fumigated, he said.

'It wasn't very clever and it was a bit of a mix up and I don't think they were very organised.'

The influx of cruise ships to Auckland is slowing down MPI's biosecurity checks.

The car salesman was frustrated the shipping companies did not catch the infestations before leaving Japan.

'If the shipping company can't dock in New Zealand then obviously they're not doing their job properly.'

An MPI spokesman said imports from the US, Italy and Japan were especially scrutinised for the pest, but Japan had more restrictions against the only fumigant that did not ruin car interiors, which could be why so many ships from there had been refused entry recently.

A study due out next week from NZIER, an independent economic consultancy, found if the pest takes root in New Zealand it could cost $4.2 billion in exports by 2038.

Ports of Auckland spokesman Matt Ball said it would be slow going as MPI's new heat treatment policy could only handle 10 to 15 cars a day, with each ship carrying about 200 vehicles.

'You take a couple of cars out, you stick them in what is effectively a giant container and that makes the bugs come out of their hiding places and die.'

Ball said Ports of Auckland was the only port in the country that offered heat treatment.

The MPI spokesman said if stink bugs were found the ship could be refused entry again.

On Friday, one of the ships that was initially turned away began to unload near the heat treatment facility, but because of an incoming cruise ship it had to stop and it was moved to another docking point, Ball said.

'It's that sort of logistical issue that could become a problem … what we are seeing at the moment is a lot of juggling of wharf space because we have a shortage of [places for people to dock].'

Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman said the stink bug would be 'absolutely devastating' to the horticulture industry but also for urban New Zealand.

'The infestation in the United States is just awful, there are videos online of people sweeping it out of their home and their broom is just covered with the little b…..s.'

'It's something we would have never experienced before in this country: a pest that appears in such numbers eating everything it can and living in your home, and as the name suggests, it stinks!'

Chapman said travellers, and cleaners have already reported finding the bug in suitcases and in hotel rooms.

He encouraged anyone who thinks they have found a bug to report it to MPI's exotic pest and disease hotline at 0800 80 99 66.