Flighted Spongy Moth Complex Season 2025 – Be prepared

Members are still writing to us with enquiries referencing the old name of Asian Gypsy moth (AGM). Please note that since 2022, the use of AGM has been dropped and in its place, Flighted Spongy Moth Complex (FSMC) is now the new name. 

The 2025 FSMC season has started so if your ships are heading towards Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand and US, you must ensure that your ships are in full compliance with FSMC regulations issued by these countries. 

Please note the following:  

• The normal requirement is that a ship that has called at a port in a regulated FSMC area during the specified risk period of the current or previous year will be considered a ship at high FSMC risk. That means that in general, the ship is required to get a proper FSMC-free certificate at the last port visited in the high-risk area. 
• Despite similar specified risk periods existing in the countries issuing their FSMC regulations, there are still not completely aligned with those issued by the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO). Each country may have its own specific requirements on how the risk period is imposed or which countries in the specified risk period will be the target for inspection. For example, for Australia, any ship that has visited a port in Eastern Russia between 40ºN and 60ºN, or west of 147ºE, anytime between 1 July and 30 September in the previous two calendar years will be targeted and do not have certification requirements like the other regulating countries. Another example is New Zealand where the country targets only ships that have visited a FSMC regulated area during the specified risk period in the last 12 months and not the last 24 months as in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile and US.
• As not all countries have harmonised their FSMC regulations, check each country’s regulations in our website FSMC section  thoroughly and it is also best to double check with the port agent before arriving at the port so delays to ships are mitigated. 

Please refer to our general information page FSMC (formerly AGM)  for guidance on the FSMC as well as the use of our BIMCO FSMC clause for Time Charter Parties 2023.