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

Portsmouth Port Health Authority uses a per consignment basis for its charges. Where multiple catch certificates are submitted for the same consignment which includes high and low risk country certificates, the higher risk charge will be applied.

A consignment will be determined as goods covered by a distinct set of documentation e.g. where there is more than one processing statement in the IUU documentation (particularly where it pairs with a CHED-P), it is likely to be processed and charged separately.

Imports coming directly from the following flag states are currently defined as low risk:
• EEA/EFTA country (Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands).
• Country with a bilateral agreement with the EU for IUU purposes (USA, Canada, New Zealand), e.g. fish caught by a US fishing vessel and processed in a US approved establishment.

The following imports are currently defined as high risk:
• fish caught by other third country fishing vessel,
• fish from EU/bilateral/EEA/EFTA countries that have  been processed in a third country (indirectly imported), e.g. fish caught by a US fishing vessel and processed in a Vietnamese approved establishment. (Fish caught by a vessel registered to an EU/EFTA/bilateral country and subsequently processed in another third country loses its low risk status and is charged at the higher rate.)

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.

Official controls carried out on imports of high risk feed and food of non-animal origin that require a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) are detailed below. Please note that analytical fees vary depending on the type of test undertaken.

All organic goods must be reported to Portsmouth Port Health Authority 24 hours before the vessel arrives.

Organic goods from EU and EEA countries will require to be reported from 1 July 2022.

Guidance on Importing and Exporting organic food

There must be a certificate of inspection with each shipment. Certificates must be presented to our office along with a payment of £45.

• information relating to the Certificate of Insurance (COI) number;
• the vessel carrying the shipment
• the exporter

All notifications should be accompanied by a completed Notification Certificate with this information. We should receive this authority at least 24 hours ahead of the vessel arriving in the Port. You will be charged a late fee if we are notified less than 24 hours in advance.

Download an Organics Notification Certificate

Official controls carried out on the imports of products of animal origin that require a Common Health Entry Document (CHED-P) are detailed below. Please note that analytical fees vary depending on the type of test undertaken.

In all cases it is the owner and importer’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of and comply with any legal requirements.

There is much EU legislation governing imports of these products and from time to time requirements and additional conditions may change. It is therefore beneficial to contact us at porthealth@portsmouthcc.gov.uk, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to clarify any specific import conditions particular to your consignment prior to it being exported.

Guidance on importing and exporting live animals or animal products – GOV.UK Charges for POAO imports to be confirmed.

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.

Ship sanitation charges 2022-23

Water Sampling Charges

Average turnaround is 7 to 14 working days