CONTAINER EXAMINATION FACILITIES
WHAT ARE CONTAINER
EXAMINATION FACILITIES (CEFS)?
HOW CEFS WORK
Customs and Border Protection Container and Cargo
Examination Facilities (CEFs) are purpose-built integrated
examination facilities that house a range of x-ray systems
and other technology, including container x-ray machines
that enable the rapid inspection and physical examination
of selected sea cargo.
Customs and Border Protection employs an intelligence
led risk based approach to intervention supported by
campaign and coverage activities. Cargo is reported
electronically by industry before a vessel’s arrival. All cargo
reports are risk assessed and selections for inspection
and examination are made on the basis of these
assessments and other intelligence.
They assist Customs and Border Protection to detect
prohibited goods, including illicit drugs, illegal firearms,
smuggled tobacco and cigarettes and other harmful
goods, and assist in compliance with import and export
requirements.
Customs and Border Protection places a hold on selected
cargo and notifies the Container Terminal Operator (CTO)
that the container is required at the CEF. The container
is then transported by a Customs and Border Protection
contracted road transport service to the CEF.
The four major CEFs are located in Sydney, Melbourne,
Brisbane and Fremantle. These facilities house container
x-ray machines capable of x-raying up to four sea cargo
containers at a single time. There are also smaller Cargo
Examination Facilities in Adelaide, Newcastle, Darwin,
Launceston and Townsville.
At the four major CEFs, the truck drives into the x-ray
hall and the container is scanned while still on the truck.
X-ray inspection, including analysis, takes approximately
15 minutes. The majority of sea cargo containers are
processed and returned to the wharf within 30 minutes.
CEFs allow Customs and Border Protection to inspect a
significant amount of cargo coming into Australia without
slowing down processing times for the cargo industry.
In excess of 2.2 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units
(TEU) are imported into Australia annually (as at July
2011). Approximately 70% of these are imported into
Melbourne and Sydney which are the country’s busiest
international container ports.
If the x-ray image reveals that further investigation is
required or the container is considered high risk, the
container is unloaded for detailed physical examination.
At smaller CEFs, all containers are unloaded for physical
examination. Unloaded containers are tested for
fumigants and are de-fumigated where required. Under
Customs and Border Protection supervision, contracted
labour unpacks and repacks containers requiring
examination.
Customs and Border Protection CEFs currently x-ray
approximately 101,500 TEU and physically examine
14,000 TEU each year.
Sea cargo containers can be 20 feet or 40 feet long. One
TEU is an agreed international standard that refers to the
storage capacity of a 20 foot sea cargo container. A 40
foot sea cargo container is counted as two TEU.
Since the opening of the first CEF in Melbourne in
2002, the CEFs have detected more than 638 kg of
heroin and opium, 1705 kg of cocaine, 16.9 tonnes of
amphetamines/chemical precursors and 1,259 tonnes of
illegal tobacco.
An x-ray image of a container
TECHNICAL DATA
Each Container Examination Facility holds an
International Standards Organization Quality
Management System accreditation.
Container Examination Facilities use container x-ray
systems that are capable of scanning a 40 foot
container in less than two minutes. The smaller CEFs
use pallet and/or cabinet x-ray systems to x-ray goods.
Customs and Border Protection x-ray systems leave no
residual radiation, and have no effect on food, film or
other sensitive goods.
IMPLICATIONS FOR INDUSTRY
CTOs currently provide three days free storage for
containers once they are declared available after vessel
discharge. Where containers have been selected for
Customs and Border Protection intervention they will
receive a minimum of 24 hours free storage when they
are returned from the Container Examination Facility,
subject to particular conditions.
ENQUIRIES
For more information about CEFs, or other Customs
and Border Protection matters, visit
www.customs.gov.au.
RADIATION SAFETY
The x-ray systems meet the stringent radiation safety
standards imposed by the Australian Radiation
Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.
Since the opening of the first CEF in November 2002,
no abnormal radiation-related incidents or accidents
have occurred at the CEFs.
For further information, see the Container Examination
Facilities Radiation Safety Fact Sheet available at
www.customs.gov.au.
July 2011