Livestock Carriers News

A global network of 36 animal welfare and protection organizations around the world has issued an urgent call to the IMO to introduce binding international regulations for livestock carriers, warning that the ageing fleet poses serious and escalating risks to human life, animal welfare, public health, and the marine environment.In an open letter sent to the IMO Secretary-General, the organizations outlined systemic safety failures across the global live export shipping fleet, which is now the oldest of any ocean shipping sector…

The livestock carrier Spiridon II has unloaded cattle in the Libyan city of Benghazi after being stranded off the Turkish coast for more than a month after a month-long voyage from Uruguay with nearly 3,000 cattle on board.The Spiridon II is now back at sea.It is unclear what happened to the dead animals and sewage onboard. Dozens of animals had already died, and many calves had been born, lost, or perished. The dead animals and excrement cannot legally be disposed of in the Mediterranean Sea due to MARPOL regulations.

South Africa’s National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has welcomed a judgment delivered by the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in Makhanda which strengthens its authority to prevent cruelty to animals during the export of live animals by sea.The ruling overturns severe restrictions previously imposed by the East London Magistrates’ Court during the planned loading of more than 53,000 animals onto the live export vessel Al Messilah in July 2023.The Magistrate had, amongst other things…

The recent rejection of around 2,900 dairy cattle on the Spiridon II raises animal welfare and pollution concerns when, after a long sea voyage, the laden vessel has again had to return to sea.The 52-year-old livestock carrier has left Turkey after its cargo was rejected by local authorities. Court transcripts translated by Animal Welfare Foundation indicate that 58 cows died in transit to Turkey, 140 cows had miscarriages in transit, 50 newborn calves were present on board, but another 90 are unaccounted for.Having departed from Montevideo…

The 52-year-old livestock carrier Spiridon II remains in quarantine off Turkey with around 20 crew and 2,853 cows onboard.Having departed from Montevideo (Uruguay) bound for Turkey on September 19 with 2,901 heifers, some of which may be pregnant, the Spiridon II is, over 50 days later, still unable to deliver the animals to shore.Veterinary authorities are refusing to allow them to disembark due to a controversy over ear tags that guarantee, among other things, the exact origin…

The 52-year-old MV Spiridon II loaded 2901 cattle has been stranded off Turkey, denied permission to unload due to issues with the animals’ ear tag.According to local media, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry inspected the cattle when the vessel arrived but denied permission to land the animals because approximately 500 of the ear tags did not match documentation on the ship.The vessel departed Uruguay on September 19 and arrived at Bandirma Port on October 22. The…

A comprehensive independent investigation by Bloomberg into the 2020 sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1 has just been aired.For the families of the seafarers lost, it's been an ongoing saga of hope and sadness as some mounted their own search and rescue efforts and fought for more information on what went wrong. The livestock carrier was sailing from New Zealand to China with 43 crew and approximately 6,000 dairy cattle onboard when it capsized in the East China Sea during Typhoon Maysak.Around 8 p.m. on September 1, the Gulf Livestock 1’s engines failed.

The EU Commissioner for Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi has responded to a letter from animal welfare NGOs about the plight of calves transported by truck on ferries from Ireland to the EU.The letter detailed three separate studies which found that the calves were negatively impacted, suffering from dehydration, muscle fatigue, low energy, and hypoglycaemia.The Commissioner invited the NGOs to a meeting which was attended by Caroline Rowley from Ethical Farming Ireland (EFI) and…

A joint letter has been sent to EU Animal Welfare Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi urging the Commission to halt the transport of unweaned calves from Ireland to France by roro ferry.It follows a similar letter sent in February.In 2022 the European Commission conducted an audit into the export of unweaned calves from Ireland to France and concluded that these journeys breach Regulation EC1/2005 on the protection of animals during long distance transport, because the feeding requirements were not being met.Unweaned calves should be fed after nine hours if necessary or after a maximum of 19 hours.

People in a wooden boat opened fire on a Comoros-flagged livestock carrier in the Red Sea near Yemen on Thursday, and the vessel was detained by the Yemeni Coast Guard, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).A maritime security official in the Yemeni government told Reuters the vessel was released after being held on suspicion, with naval forces concerned because its AIS tracking system was turned off and it was sailing north from the Horn of Africa.British security firm Ambrey said the vessel…

Ethical Farming Ireland and several other NGOs have sent an open letter to the European Commission and Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, after the breakdown at sea of the livestock carrier Express M.The Express M departed Romania for Haifa on February 22 with 2,400 cattle and 460 sheep on board. Ethical Farming Ireland and Israel Against Live Shipments tracked the voyage.Shortly after departure, the vessel stopped and went to anchor for several days before resuming its journey at an abnormally slow speed of 3–4 knots.

A new film produced by a group of NGOs entitled Live Exports: Beyond Borders, Beyond Imagination has been shown in the EU Parliament.During slaughter in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, the film indicates that even minimum welfare standards are ignored. Cattle are roughly beaten with sticks – including on the head and face – to force them to the ground. In Egypt, slaughtermen often sever cattle’s leg tendons with a knife to control the animals. They even jab their knife into the head and eyes of the cattle. Often a chain is tied round one of a bovine’s rear legs.

New Zealand’s Maritime Union, representing both seafarers and stevedores, has voted to oppose the proposed resumption of live animal exports.A ban was implemented by the previous government after the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized in 2020 leaving 41 crew and 6,000 cattle missing.Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Carl Findlay says the Union confirmed its opposition to live animal exports at its National Conference in November 2024.He said the world is moving away from live exports…

The New Zealand Government’s plan to repeal its ban on live export by sea has been pushed back. In a statement, the Minister championing the restart of the trade, Andrew Hoggard, himself a farmer who has never exported his animals, confirmed a delay to the process and said he is committed to developing the highest standards of animal welfare. Hoggard says the discussion document on live export that he promised to make public before September won’t be coming out until next year.A ban was implemented by the previous government after the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized in 2020 leaving 41 crew and 6…

Former live export veterinarian and animal welfare advocate Dr Lynn Simpson has joined the debate on the future prospects of Australia’s live sheep trade that was sparked by industry veteran and veterinarian Dr Tony Brightling. The official industry body for the trade sees the future differently.Australia legislated a ban on the live export of sheep by sea from 1 May 2028 over animal welfare concerns, but Simpson also points to a shortage of vessels that is impacting prospects…

New Zealand animal welfare group SPCA is critical of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, saying he has refused to provide answers about his plans to restart the export of live animals by sea.A ban was implemented by the previous government after the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized in 2020 leaving 41 crew and 6,000 cattle missing.Luxon has reportedly declined to say if the public will be consulted on the policy and process, a move SPCA says muddies the waters on fair process.“The Government is already on record stating animal welfare is non-negotiable.

A group of animal welfare organizations have written an open letter to Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, asking her to stop the live export of cattle to war zones.There have been over 100 shipments of cattle and sheep from Europe to Israel so far this year and an unknown number of livestock exported to Lebanon since the fighting expanded in that region.Ethical Farming Ireland says sources at Haifa port have informed them that every day barrages of rockets fall on the port and surrounding areas where the quarantine centres and fattening farms are.

Dr Katherine Clift has been appointed Australia’s new Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports for five years with her term commencing on September 30, 2024. The appointment comes after the federal government made a commitment to strengthen animal welfare assurance and increase accountability and transparency in livestock exports at the last election. Clift’s tenure will see her undertake audit and review functions focused on the systems and processes that underpin the department’s regulation of animal welfare and livestock exports.

A report released by Australia’s Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports highlights ongoing and systemic failures within Australia’s Independent Observer program designed to provide independent reporting of animal welfare at sea.The program was established after the 2017 death of over 2,400 sheep on the livestock carrier Awassi Express (now Anna Mara). The sheep died of heat stress, and in 2018, television footage aired from this and four other voyages widely…

Despite stating that the transport of unweaned calves from Ireland to France is in breach of EU law, the European Commission has so far failed to take action against it, says Ethical Farming Ireland.In an audit report published in December 2023, the Commission claimed the journey was in breach of Regulation 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport, as the calves are not being fed during the long ferry crossing to France. In most cases, these animals are left unfed for up to 30 hours…

Ethical Farming Ireland (EFI) has raised concerns that the livestock carrier Shorthorn Express is currently sailing to Israel from Greenore despite having previously been subject to a Houthi attack in the Red Sea region in June. The Shorthorn Express was travelling to Haifa port from Portugal with 12,000 sheep on board at the time.EFI continues to raise other concerns about the trade. The organisation is calling for an immediate end to live export to countries outside the EU that do not share Ireland’s animal welfare standards.

The Australian Parliament has now legislated an end date for live sheep export, with the Senate officially passing the Export Control Amendment (Ending Live Sheep Exports by Sea) Bill 2024 on Monday evening.From 1 May 2028, sheep will no longer be sent on long-haul journeys. The government has committed $107 million over five years for sheep producers and the supply chain to plan for and adjust to the phase out. Early action is being encouraged by the provision of funding now.Professional…

The bill to phase out live sheep export has passed through the Australian House of Representatives.“This is a historic moment in Australia’s history that brings us closer than ever before to a legislated end to this cruel and unfixable trade,” said RSPCA Australia CEO Richard Mussell.“Year after year sheep suffer on live export voyages, from the serious and cumulative impacts of heat stress, overcrowding, hunger, infection, disease as well as being slaughtered while fully conscious at their destination.”In an opinion piece in local media…