Posted 24 August, 2012

We just cleared into customs etc. in Noumea and so here’s an update of what the procedure is:-

Call either Port Moselle or Port de Sud on VFH 67 and let them know you have arrived and would like to clear in when possible. Fly your French courtesy flag if you have one (we did not) and also your Q flag (Yellow Flag). You can either go to their visitors’ pontoon, which you then have to pay overnight, or anchor just outside the marina and dinghy into the marina office and ask them what you have to do next.

The marina office will give you a map directing you to Immigration (only open until 11.30am), Customs and Quarantine (Biosecurity) offices. We headed straight to Immigration seeing as how they close first and also they were the closest to us on our path. You fill out a form and sign a register and then head to customs where it was the same procedure. Then we headed to Quarantine/Biosecurity, they are the only ones who come aboard to check your boat and confiscate food items. They take any fruit and vegetables including potatoes, garlic, and onions as well as any animal products including anything frozen.

This is the first time that we have had frozen meat taken away, in every other port we’ve visited throughout the world they may check but generally only take fruit and veg., so don’t get caught out like we did. The only meat that is not confiscated has to be from either Australia, New Zealand or Vanuatu, with their label firmly attached which states where it is from, otherwise you can say goodbye to it. Unfortunately for us the very kind – however horrible the situation – Biosecurity officer, had to walk off our boat with 3 garbage bags full of meat which was worth a couple of hundred dollars. So although you don’t have to pay anything to Customs etc. here, we sadly paid in another fashion.

Just a heads up for you all.

Safe sailing and fair winds.

Simone

SV Sur L’Eau

Posted 09 September, 2012

Yes, they even take cooked and frozen lobster! and also things from Vanuatu or Fiji.

From me, they even took a vacuum packed Italian salami bought in NZ. As I have worked 40 years as a state veterinary officer in Sweden, I asked the reason for the confiscate, but they had no answer.

To me it´s frustrating and a sign of bad education so be warned! They don´t know anything of the epidemic situation of other countries, other than NZ and AU. They trust all imports from France if they have a certificate and do no tests. I never did that and have found both Salmonella and Listeria in French products.

Ingvar Hellmalm