Do not let a moth hold up your vessel in Marine Insurance P&I Club News 09/04/2026 Flighted spongy moth complex (FSMC) is a group of exotic pests native to Eastern Asia. It includes Lymantria dispar asiatica, Lymantria dispar japonica, Lymantria albescens, Lymantria umbrosa, and Lymantria postalba. Heavy infestations can strip trees and shrubs of their leaves, resulting in the decline and death of forests, orchards, and landscapes. The introduction of the FSMC into a country where it is not native would present a serious threat to its trees. Ports and countries to monitor FSMC populations are established in some port areas of Northern China, Korea, Japan, and the Russian Far East, and they are known to spread via ocean-going vessels involved in international trade. As a result, several countries actively work to prevent FSMC introductions, requiring visiting vessels to be inspected and certified as free of FSMC before departing these Asian ports. Countries known to carry out seasonal FSMC inspections to prevent infestations include Canada, the United States (US), Chile, New Zealand, Argentina, and Australia. However, authorities in other countries may also be vigilant against this invasive and destructive pest. High risk season: May to October FSMC experiences outbreak periods characterised by very high population numbers. These outbreaks typically occur between May and October, although timing can vary depending on the specific location of each Asian port and local climatic conditions. During these outbreaks, adult females, which are strong fliers and attracted to lights at night, are highly likely to lay egg masses on illuminated surfaces. This behaviour allows FSMC to hitchhike to new areas, either as egg masses or, occasionally, as pupae, on vessels and their cargo. FSMC egg masses are tolerant of extremes in temperature and moisture. Because of this resilience, larvae can hatch months or even years after the eggs are laid. This is also why vessels that have visited infested ports can remain a risk long after departure and why some countries may conduct seasonal inspections for up to two years following a vessel’s visit to Asian ports. FSMC requirements There is no single internationally agreed regulation for managing FSMC risks. While many authorities refer to the most recent recommendations provided by the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO), national regulations still vary. All countries known to enforce FSMC measures require arriving vessels to declare whether they have visited regulated ports in Asia during specified risk periods (SRP), when the likelihood of egg mass deposits is high. Most also require such vessels to be inspected and certified free of FSMC by a recognized certification body. However, requirements and port-of-entry procedures still differ between countries, and even the definitions of regulated areas and the timing of SRPs in Asia are not fully aligned. To help vessel operators and masters stay informed and compliant, we have compiled and tabulated the key FSMC requirements for each relevant country. The following should be noted: Canada and the US work together to manage FSMC risks, aligning their policies on FSMC regulated areas and SRPs with the most recent recommendations by NAPPO. Vessels that have called at a port in a regulated area during the SRP within the past 24 months must arrive at North American ports free of FSMC and should have obtained pre-departure certification from a recogn