John Lee, managing director of Lampson, the heavy lift and transportation specialist, talks about the process of cleaning imported equipment to meet the Australian Quarantine Approved Arrangement.
Importing equipment into Australia can be a difficult venture, and if the ports are experiencing delays, this can badly affect release timing and the overall cost of shipping.
Further to this, to protect Australia’s various industries and livelihoods, the level of cleaning required to pass through Australian quarantine is one of the highest in the world.
Cleaning can be achieved prior to shipping, but sometimes this is not enough to pass and that is when equipment is forwarded to an Australian Quarantine Approved Arrangement or premises.
Providers located near ports can be of service in this situation, and Lampson Australia Pty Ltd has been providing this since the early 90s.
Generally, Lampson is better known for its heavy lift crane and oversized transport services – and along with these services – the company invested in a quarantine washbay.
This Approved Arrangement has been in operation since the early 1990s to assist with the import cleaning of used trucks, trailers and cranes under reference N1111.
With the recent increase in delays experienced at east coast ports, there has been an increase of imported equipment through the Port of Newcastle.
Lampson has provided services to several clients already in 2025 and has the capacity to deal with multiple consignments and offer storage areas or dry locations for quarantine inspection.
The process of cleaning used equipment for shipping can seem simple enough although usually on closer inspection, there are signs the equipment is carrying foreign material such as soil, plant matter, dust or even insects into Australia.
A fresh paint job will not always result in a first time pass as the quarantine Inspectors from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) are meticulous and know exactly where to look.
Used earthmoving equipment that looked as if it would easily pass inspection in fact did not due to layers of spiral wrapping that concealed soil and rock dust.
Air filters are another hot spot for trapped material along with hydraulic line burst protection, cabin carpets, radiators, track pads and greased items.
Foreign material carried in imported equipment can pose a biosecurity risk to the country so these parts must be cleaned, materials removed and then treated by certified waste management providers.
Once cleaning is completed, inspectors are notified and attend to review the equipment – on occasion, additional disassembly is required to allow better access or deeper investigation.
The cleaning service is required to remove any foreign material back to as-new surface conditions. Upon clearance by DAFF the equipment can be further stored at Lampson’s facility until ready for transport, which Lampson can also offer.
The provision of the quarantine service complements the crane and transport business and allows Lampson to provide further services to importers and its regular freight forwarder clients.
John Lee, Lampson managing director