Port Health authority

We check imports of goods entering the UK through Portsmouth Port for food safety. This can include document and physical checks. We also monitor the control of infectious diseases at the port. This means we take water samples and inspect ships for cleanliness.

In any case of suspected infectious disease or death on board any vessel, the masters of ships arriving from foreign ports must:

• submit their Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH) to Portsmouth International Port by email to portcontrolmail@portsmouth-port.co.uk
• phone 023 9285 5900 as soon as possible and before entering Portsmouth Harbour

Download a Maritime Declaration of Health

Agents/importers must pre-notify us of imports at least 2 hours before the expected time of arrival. Late notifications will be charged in accordance with the fees below. Please notify us by completing our advance notification form and emailing it to porthealth@portsmouthcc.gov.uk along with supporting documentary evidence.

If any documents are found to be missing or incorrect upon initial documentary check, the agent/importer will be notified and given a grace period of 72 hours to submit the correct documents. If the documents are not submitted within this time, we reserve the right to charge the appropriate IUU fee and may consider the request closed. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) will be notified. Any subsequent request for the same import may be treated as new and charged the applicable fee.

Our guide Information for importers: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU) provides more detailed advice on the requirements, including what information to supply to us.

Download a Multiple Catch Certificate Summary Document here.

Charges are listed below. Please note that we do not use PHILIS. New customers should contact us and request form PHR 22.

These charges are made in line with Retained Regulation
(EU) No. 2017/625, Article 79 (2)(c).

There has been an increase in non compliance of feed and food imports from specific countries and the charge enables us to ensure the costs of our controls are specifically targeted at the relevant food businesses and person responsible for the load.

Where an import issue is identified, subsequent imports will have the charge automatically applied on the next 5 subsequent imports. The purpose of the subsequent checks is to assess the extent and the impact of the case of non-compliance or to verify that the non-compliance has been remedied.

In May 2022, the UK Government delayed the EU import requirements which were due to come into force on 1 July 2022. Import requirements that were already in place, have remained in place; this means that agents/importers must continue to notify us of IUU Catch Certificate requests for fishery products.

There is also a requirement to notify imports via IPAFFS for all Product of Animal Origin (POAO) and High-Risk Food and Feed of Non-Animal Origin (HRFNAO) imports. Please note that Port Health Authorities do not have access to IPAFFS ‘IMP’ data for these imports.

There are other controls in place which are the responsibility of APHA, Border Force and HMRC, for example. You should contact them directly with any queries you have or visit: Import goods into the UK: step by step – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Border Operating Model has been updated to reflect the changes: Border Operating Model – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Cabinet Office expects to publish a Target Operating Model in Autumn 2022.

Official Controls are carried out on imports of HRFNAO that require a Common Health Entry Document (CHED-D). Please see the FSA’s website for further information: Importing high-risk food and feed into GB | Food Standards Agency.

Charges are listed below. Please note that we do not use PHILIS. New customers should contact us and request form PHR 22.

Organic products being imported into Portsmouth must be pre-notified to us at least 24 hours before the vessel arrives. This does not apply to goods being imported from the EU. Late notifications are subject to the applicable fee.

Guidance on Importing and Exporting organic food

There must be a Certificate of Inspection (COI) and accompanying documentation with each shipment.

All notifications should be accompanied by a completed Advance Notification form.

Download an Advance Notification form.

Charges are listed below. Please note that we do not use PHILIS. New customers should contact us and request form PHR 22.

Due to the additional work in checking and handling multiple documents charges have been introduced based on the number of analytical certificates that accompany the Declaration.

The sliding scale of charges will be applied.

Portsmouth Port Health Authority issues ship sanitation certificates. A certificate will only be issued after an inspection of the vessel. This includes checks for diseases and controls to prevent illnesses from spreading.

When on board we’ll ask to see the following:

• The last ship sanitation certificate
• The last set of microbiological water results.
• Medical log
• Garbage log
• Master handover log
• Medicine and narcotics list
• Food safety management system
• Ballast log

We can test drinking water, ice or swimming pool water samples on request. There’s a cost for this service and a laboratory report will be provided with a certificate.

If your water test report is older than six months, we suggest you have a new water test as part of the ship sanitation inspection.

Charges are listed below. New customers should contact us and request form PHR 22.

Ship sanitation charges 2022-23

Water Sampling Charges

Average turnaround is 7 to 14 working days