Image supplied courtesy of the Australian Customs Service
Once the ship has berthed at the wharf and the gangway is down or the
ship is well anchored within the harbour limits, an immigration officer
will visit the ship. The officer will want to see the passports of the
ship’s crew. They need to make sure that those on the ship do not stay
in Australia when it leaves.
Customs officers are interested in what is being imported into Australia. Some of their roles are:
• To make sure taxes (import duty) are paid on certain imported goods.
• To inspect the ship looking for illegal goods, like drugs and firearms.
