27/3/21 – I was hoping that I would not need to write this; especially after the farce involving the EU and animals in transport recently, but there is now another problem yet regarding live animals in maritime shipment, as before.  I will try to summarise from the information we currently have.

We all know about the very recent issues regarding the Karim Allah and the Elbeik which carried livestock for over 3 months; unable to find a port that would accept them – scroll here to see all the posts – Live Transport – World Animals Voice

Livestock vessels currently use the Suez Canal (Egypt) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Canal  to get from the Mediterranean Sea into the Red Sea when going to the Middle East.  The Suez is a small, narrow waterway.

In the past week, a huge 220,000 tonne container carrying ship called the ‘Ever Given’ managed to get jammed in the Canal; thereby blocking off access all other ships following behind.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Suez_Canal_obstruction

Amongst these ships were several livestock carrying vessels; probably 8; Vessels Jersey, Unimar Livestock, Omega Star, Harmony Livestock, Dragon, Lady Maria, Sea Star Livestock, and Gemma star.

Some of these can be seen on one of our recent posts:  England: A Snapshot of the Maritime Livestock Trade – Vessels Currently Shipping Live Animals Around the World. A Disgusting Animal Abuse Issue. – World Animals Voice

All of them left from either Midia (Romania) or Cartagena (Spain).  We have no confirmation at this time, but suspect that the vessels from Romania were carrying sheep (Romania is a big sheep producing nation); and probably cattle being transported from from Spain.  Because of the number of livestock carrying ships involved, and the numbers of animals each are carrying; it is currently impossible to give an overall total for the numbers of animals involved in this crisis. But it will be in the ‘many thousands’.

By Friday 26/3, the maritime traffic jam had grown to more than 200 ships outside the Suez Canal, all affected by this one ship blockade.  With massive international pressure growing to resolve the issue, as well as the huge financial involvement of cargoes carried, the megaship’s owners, Japanese firm Shoei Kisen KK, said 10 tugboats had been deployed to attempt free it.

So, the current situation is that many livestock ships with animals on board are literally stranded in the Suez Canal.  Word from London today (27/3) is that a possible ‘free up and re float’ of the ‘Ever Given’ may take place very soon.  Knowing the situation on the Karim Allah and the Elbeik regarding lack of food and water; we naturally have concerns for the welfare of all animals carried on all the ships.

27/3 – I have checked all ship positions today, it has taken some research time, but I can confirm the following:

Vessel ‘Jersey’ – – registered Togo – en route to Jordan – stuck in Suez Canal.

Vessel ‘Unimar Livestock’ – registered Togo – en route to Jeddah – stuck in Suez Canal.

Vessel ‘Omega Star’ – no details

Vessel ‘Harmony Star’ – sailing under flag of Tanzania – en route to As Suways / Suez Port, Egypt.

Vessel ‘Dragon’ – sailing under the flag of Togolese Rep. – en route to Jordan – stuck in Suez Canal.

Vessel ‘Lady Maria’ – en route to the port of Jeddah – Waiting in Med Sea at entrance to Suez Canal.

Vessel ‘Sea Star Livestock’ – en route to As Suways / Suez Port, Egypt – stuck in Suez Canal.

Vessel ‘Gemma Star’ – no details.

So as you can see with so many large livestock carriers; problems to say the least !

Some of these vessels have been stuck for around 4-5 days now at least.

I hope this gives a small insight into livestock transportation by sea; and the mega problems (feed and watering etc) that just one incident such as this can bring.  Many of these vessels are heading to the Middle East where animals will be ritually slaughtered without any prior stunning.

This is all fuel to our fire in our work to get live animal exports stopped.

Regards Mark

WAV Comment:  I really wish I had an ounce of faith that all these Euro Yukspeak words actually meant something; but I completely lost faith in the Eurojargon about better animal welfare many years ago.  For me, over 30 years of live animal transportation investigations and experiences may have had something to do with the loss of faith in ‘the EU systems’ that ‘protect’ animals, in this case, during transport – EU Reg 1/2005 for the ‘protection of animals during transport’:  https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/621853/EPRS_STU(2018)621853_EN.pdf

So now ‘the countdown is officially on’ ?

Now they talk about 7 key demands – and for so long over the years we have heard from the very same people about we the ‘five freedoms’ which should have applied to all animals within the EU:

The Five Freedoms include:

• Freedom from Hunger and Thirst. By ready access to fresh water and diet to maintain health and vigour.
• Freedom from Discomfort. …
• Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease. …
• Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour. …
• Freedom from Fear and Distress.

These Five Freedoms are globally recognized as the gold standard in animal welfare, encompassing both the mental and physical well-being of animals; and the five freedoms have existed within EU strategy (on paper anyway) for quite a long time.

With so much undercover footage being presented to the EU over the years from farms, slaughterhouses, animals in transport, etc, by welfare organisations, showing failures across all the 5 freedoms, I guess we can say that the EU does not practice what it preaches. 

Yet here we are being told that there will be 7 key demands that will ‘shed light on the failures and poor enforcement of the current animal welfare legislation and call on the European Commission to commit to revising the entire legislation, leaving no animal behind’.

I really hope that no animal is ‘left behind’; but as I say, with a few years experience, and running animal welfare websites since 2005, cynical me thinks this is simply another stalling tactic by the EU simply because certain member states are not enforcing the regulations.  Romania and the sheep transporting ship which overturned leaving Midia – Romania: Secret Decks of Sheep On The ‘Queen Hind’ Which Sank at Midia ??. We Still Wait For EU Action and the Report Promised by the Romanian Government. – World Animals Voice  – February 2021, and still we have no answers !  So much for 5 freedoms, let alone 7 key demands !

The EU lost the plot on all this ‘animal welfare stuff’ many, many years ago; and I think the very recent incidents relating to the livestock carriers ‘Karim Allah’ and the ‘Elbeik’; where live animals were shipped around the Med for over 3 months, just shows what a complete and utter farce the whole EU ‘animal welfare’ thing is.   And I mean; have a look at just 2 of our past posts:

Spain: 10/3/21 – All Animals On The ‘Karim Allah’ Have Now Been Murdered By The Spanish Authorities After 3 Months at Sea. The Reality of Live Exports. – World Animals Voice

Togo: Live Animal Transport: Elbeik Still At Sea with 1700 Animals and Over 100 Feared Dead – Expected to Dock In Cartagena, Spain Tonight. ‘Karim Allah’ Killing Team Still In Cartegena. What Happens Later ? – World Animals Voice

Do not have any trust in the EU and its yukspeak, because that is exactly what it is – Yukspeak; or to put it another way; a means to further investigate, delay any action and produce yet more endless reports on what is the bloody obvious, and which everyone in the animal welfare lobby has known about and has been shouting about, and providing substantial evidence on for decades.

The EU is an over inflated no good – if it had any intentions of promoting animal welfare, then it would have acted a damn site more on animal transport legislation alone when we first saw the 1/2005 of that year come into force.  They failed then, they fail now, and they will continue to fail in the future.  Sadly, as always; it is the innocent animals that are the pawns, and who suffer as a result.

Regards Mark.

Continued on sheet 2 – select 2 from below.

WAV Comment – GAIA are a great campaigning organisation based in Belgium, supporting a wide range of animal issues,  Check out their website from the link below to see more.  We have enjoyed campaigning with them in Brussels (EU HQ) in the past on the live export issues.

We encourage everyone to sign the petition at EU for Animals – and let the non acting EU that they really need to get into Century 21 and more importantly, reflect the wishes of the vast majority of EU citizens.

Note – you DO NOT have to be an EU citizen to sign this; anyone can contribute.  Just select your nationality at the end of the petition form.

Regards Mark

Website – https://www.gaia.be/en

GAIA launches #EUforAnimals campaign

18 March 2021

GAIA

On 10th March, GAIA, together with various other organisations and the support of Eurogroup for Animals, launched very successfully the #EUforAnimals campaign. Main goal is to explicitly include ‘Animal Welfare’ into the job title of the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.

GAIA’s key demand is that more relevance is given to animal welfare by making this responsibility explicit in the name of the relevant Directorate-General and the job title of the competent EU Commissioner. In the present context, the Commissioner’s responsibility would become for “Health, Food Safety and Animal Welfare”. 

Animal protection in the EU will increase if this obligation is highlighted, and the appropriate Commissioner is expressly urged to take a more constructive and progressive approach to animal welfare on behalf of the entire European Commission, thereby reacting to the passionate call of European citizens.

You can sign the petition on the EU for Animals website and a space will be added in the coming days to show the list of MEPs who have communicated their support. 

Read more at source

#EUforAnimals

Following on from our earlier post today regarding the cattle stranded at sea on the ‘Elbeik’:

Togo: Live Animal Transport: Elbeik Still At Sea with 1700 Animals and Over 100 Feared Dead – Expected to Dock In Cartagena, Spain Tonight. ‘Karim Allah’ Killing Team Still In Cartegena. What Happens Later ? – World Animals Voice

We now have the following from UK Press ‘The Guardian’ (London), as follows.

Does this situation not sum up the scum involved in this business, that

“a source said the owner plans to sell the animals “to north Africa”.

All this time at sea, and the suffering involved with it, the numbers of animals now dead, and all this thickhead can think about is still trying to make money from the remaining animals, and sending them on yet further (by sea ) to another destination in North Africa; which we can only view as being ‘Libya’.

Regards Mark

Stranded cattle ship ordered to dock in Spain after ‘hellish’ three months at sea | Environment | The Guardian 

Stranded cattle ship ordered to dock in Spain after ‘hellish’ three months at sea

Almost 180 bulls believed to be already dead as campaigners call for surviving animals to be humanely slaughtered on arrival in port

After three months stranded in the Mediterranean, a livestock ship carrying almost 1,800 young bulls has been ordered to dock at the Spanish port of Cartagena.

The Elbeik is expected to arrive in Cartagena this evening, having left the Spanish port of Tarragona in mid-December.

It has been struggling to find a buyer for the cattle after being refused entry by multiple countries, including Turkey and Libya, over fears the animals had a disease called bluetongue.

Sources have told the Guardian almost 180 cattle are now dead, more than double a previous estimate. An MEP has suggested that the “hellish” stress of three months at sea means slaughter on arrival at port is now the most humane option.

Following recent stops near Cyprus and in Greek ports to reprovision, the Elbeik returned to Spanish waters earlier this week, anchoring off the island of Menorca.

Spanish authorities on Tuesday ordered the ship to dock in Cartagena, describing it as the “most suitable port” for the inspection and possible unloading and slaughter of the animals. A source within the ministry of agriculture said the vessel would be inspected by vets once docked.

The return order comes just weeks after Spanish authorities slaughtered more than 850 young bulls in Cartagena from another livestock ship, the Karim Allah. The ship had also left Spain in mid-December and been refused entry to ports in Turkey and elsewhere because of bluetongue fears.

On Wednesday a source close to the Elbeik said the owner of its cattle hoped to arrange blood tests for the animals when the ship arrives in Cartagena. If the results showed them to be free of bluetongue and other diseases, the source said the owner plans to sell the animals “to north Africa”.

The Guardian has been sent a document, apparently signed by the Elbeik’s captain, saying 179 bulls had died at sea, up from a previous estimate of 80 deaths. Another 1,610 animals appeared “normal and healthy”, which it credited to the crew’s good care , but said “lately they have been frustrated due to staying on board” for so long.

The Karim Allah had likewise arranged blood draws and aimed to sell the bulls if they were disease-free, but Spain’s agriculture ministry ordered the bulls to be put down before the blood samples were analysed.

Some MEPs and NGOs have argued that euthanising the bulls in Spain, rather than sending them on another long journey to face possibly less humane slaughter, was a kinder option.

“For more than three months these animals [on the Elbeik] have been on this hellish ride,” said MEP Thomas Waitz, a member of an EU committee examining animal transport issues and European Green party co-chair.

Waitz said the “constant stress” of being at sea, on top of food and water shortages, meant the young bulls were probably in “a dire state” and euthanasia now appeared “the only responsible thing to do”.

Campaigners blame the EU for continuing to allow lengthy export journeys for farm animals and failing to manage problems.

Unexpected problems, said Olga Kikou of Compassion in World Farming, were exacerbated by a failure to make contingency plans for animals facing hold-ups and a lack of clarity over who was responsible for their welfare.

Sign up for the Animals farmed monthly update to get a roundup of the best farming and food stories across the world and keep up with our investigations. You can send us your stories and thoughts at animalsfarmed@theguardian.com

A comment left by Elvera, one of our supporters:

Three months at sea and then likely euthanized. Spain, EU should be ashamed of their indifference to the suffering they have inflicted on these poor creatures. How many more such tragedies have to occur before live transport is banned. Anyone involved in this trade is sick and lacking any moral compass .

We fully agree !

Live animal transport: Elbeik still at sea with 1700 animals | Eurogroup for Animals

WAV Comment – From our research today (18/3), we understand that the Elbeik is en route to Cartagena in Spain, and will arrive today at about 1900 hours.  As you can read below from AWF, the mobile killing team that was used for the ‘Karim Allah’ is still at Cartagena, so will all the remaining animals on the Elbeik be slaughtered when they arrive there ?

The incidents relating to the ‘Karim Allah’ and the ‘Elbeik’ show without doubt the abuses that the live export business inflicts on live, sentient animals.  The useless EU does nothing as always about the live trade; and so it remains as useless as it always has been.

We hope that both these incidents inflict massive financial losses on all parties involved in what is outright animal abuse and suffering; we have no sympathy for them whatsoever.  If you want to be involved in this business, then expect retribution from the vast majority of people.

They are sick, the operators are sick, the authorities are sick and the EU is definitely sick; it always has been where live animal transport is involved !

Live animal transport: Elbeik still at sea with 1700 animals

16 March 2021

AWF

Three months after its departure the vessel is still wandering around the Mediterranean with no clear destination.

Last Thursday, the Elbeik vessel left Greece heading towards Spain. Since yesterday, it’s anchored in front of Menorca and our member Animal Welfare Foundation got confirmation that there are more than 100 dead animals on board.

Despite the fact that the Greek authorities in Crete provided the vessel with food for the crew and feed for the animals, there are concerns over the conditions of both after 3 months at sea.

Unfortunately the fate of these animals remains unclear: the possibility for them to be exported again to a third country is still there. Indeed, the vessel’s final destination has not yet been indicated. 

Meanwhile, the mobile killing unit, used for the Karim Allah’s animals, is still up in the Spanish port of Cartagena. 

Immediate action is necessary to relieve the animals and the crew. We urge the Spanish authorities to finally step in and put an end to this sad journey.

I crossed over the ‘angry line’ about all this weeks ago – EU top shit – Mark

Hi all;

Yesterday, 14/3/21, I reported on the dire situation of the ‘Elbeik’ livestock carrier being at sea for 3 months, and the pitiful situation for the animals carried.  Togo: The ‘Elbeik’ Livestock Carrying Vessel Is STILL At Sea; 3 Months On. Now We Need International Political Action To Permanently Ban All Live Animal Maritime Transport. – World Animals Voice

So today, I wanted to show you that the export of live animals by sea is a common thing all over the world, and considering the situation on the Elbeik, it further supports the need whilst this disgusting trade in sentients needs to stop.

Via certain means at my disposal, I am able to bring you an update of some seaborne livestock carrying vessels which are currently operating globally at this very moment; along with a few other details about them.  Note that most sail under flags of convenience and relate to nations which are not top of the pile when it comes to animal welfare enforcement.  So that is one question about all of this; cheaper operating costs under a flag of convenience; crews who put animals and their welfare as priority ? – two issues why we consider the maritime movement of live animals must stop, and stop now.

Note also the ages of the vessels; which are virtually all conversions (to livestock carriers) from a different type of service in their earlier days.  It just shows the quantity of rust buckets which are now being used to haul livestock all over the planet.  A trade which we do not want; but as you will see below from the quantities , is a big opposition to us in the welfare movement.

Here is what I have found, complete with photos of some vessels.

Regards Mark

PLEASE REMEMBER – This is just a snapshot of the livestock maritime trade at the moment. I could spend more time getting more ships to show you, but feel this is enough for a ‘feel’ to how many are involved.

Latest 1530 GMT 15/3 – I understand the ‘Elbeik’ is around the Menorca (Spanish Islands) region at the moment.

This is a 4 page post – select page number from bottom.

Vessel MIRA

The current position of MIRA is at East Mediterranean.  The vessel is en route to the port of Ashdod (Israel), expected to arrive there on Mar 16, 17:00.

Livestock Carrier built in 1983 (38 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Comoros (Mozambique).

Vessel KARAZI

The current position of KARAZI is at East Mediterranean.  The vessel is en route to the port of Tripoli (Libya). 

Livestock Carrier built in 1983 (38 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Sierra Leone.

Every year, 20 million day-old chicks are thoughtlessly thrown into boxes and shipped as “perishable goods” through the postal service. You have a chance to help stop this horrific practice. All you need to do is take action today!

When allowed to, a mother hen communicates with her chicks through the shell before they hatch. In hatcheries supplying individual buyers or feed-stores, the chicks are born in an incubator with no mother in sight. Within hours of their life, they are sexed, vaccinated, stuffed in boxes, and sent through the mail. According to the United States Postal Service, they are supposed to arrive at their destination within 72 hours. This means, and this is the best-case-scenario, that they are crowded in a dark box without food or water for 3 days. They are shipped year-round, no matter the weather. Chicks endure below freezing winter temperatures and inhumane sweltering summer heat. 

Can you imagine “mailing” your adopted puppy or kitten under these conditions?

Without a doubt sending day-old babies through the mail is cruel, but recently it has become horrific. Thousands of chicks have arrived dead due to delayed shipments and chaos within the United States Postal Service in the wake of Covid-19. Typically 1-2% percent of chicks die during transit.

In August of 2020 entire shipments of chicks were arriving at their destination dead. Farmers in Maine and New Hampshire reported a staggering 4,800 chicks were deceased upon arrival.

People purchase hens because they produce eggs. But, what happens to the male chicks? Most roosters are killed soon after they hatch. Most commonly they endure asphyxiation by gassing or maceration in high-speed grinders. 

This means that they are ground alive. The ones who survive are packaged and shipped with the hens. They may be sexed incorrectly, purchased unsexed, or used as “packing peanuts” to help keep the female chicks warm in transit. When people receive unwanted roosters they abandon, kill, or dump them at a shelter or sanctuary. Animal Place gets multiple calls and emails a day about unwanted roosters. If we are unable to take them in, we try to find a safe haven for them in private homes or with other sanctuaries. 

The shipment of live-day-old chicks is unethical. We must demand an end to this cruelty. You can use your voice to advocate for chickens. Go to animalplace.org/advocacy/ to sign and send a letter to the United States Postmaster General, find sample letters, and learn more. It only takes a few moments of your time. Take action now and demand that this practice come to an end. Join us in making a difference for the 20 million chicks who face the cruel practice every year.

ACTION – Go to:   Animal Place’s Animal Advocate Alliance | Animal Place

 

 Regards Mark

WAV Comment – 10/3/21 – we now understand that all the animals on the Karim Allah would have been murdered by the Spanish authorities.

See our past links on the Karim, and also the Elbeik; which is currently still at sea, at::

Search Results for “karim allah” – World Animals Voice

Regards Mark

Hundreds of animals are now being euthanised in Spain, after the second ship, Karim Allah, returned with the unwanted young bulls, who are all only between seven and eight months old now. The same fate unfortunately awaits the animals transported in the Elbeik if it reaches Spain.

Compassion in World Farming has been in close contact with the relevant authorities in Brussels, Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy to minimise the suffering of the animals involved.

The EU has intervened to put diplomatic pressure to reduce the suffering of animals, who have been stranded at sea for over two and a half months. In the latest controversy to hit the trade of live animals, a pariah ship carrying over 1,700 cattle was allowed to anchor in Crete this weekend, after European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides intervened on Friday.

The Elbeik is one of two vessels departing from Spain in mid-December, carrying young bulls for Libya and Turkey. Due to concerns over the bluetongue disease, the two ships were refused entry at all ports they reached. The animals have thus been circling the Mediterranean in hellish conditions.

On Friday, Kyriakides intervened and asked the Greek authorities to provide assistance with the Elbeik which was in need of fuel, feed and food, as well as to assess the condition of the animals.

“Unlike a sack of potatoes that can be shipped back and forth, cattle are capable of feeling pain and suffering,” said Olga Kikou, Head of Compassion in World Farming EU. “It is an extremely upsetting situation where thousands of young bulls got stranded in sea for over two and a half months, only to be killed back in the country where they came from – and this is considered legal, despite EU law that intends to protect animals during transport and recognises animals as sentient beings!”

Olga added: “The intervention by Commissioner Stella Kyriakides was instrumental in mitigating the suffering of the young bulls in this instance. Still, we all need to look at the upcoming revision of the rules on animal transport and we cannot stress enough how ambitious that revision should be. To avoid such scandals and to end this unnecessary suffering, once and for all, the EU must ban the exports of all animals outside its borders. Even animals sent for breeding will encounter cruel treatment due to lack of parity with EU animal welfare standards. It is about time animals are not treated as cargo in the European Union.”

Every year millions of farmed animals are transported live on long and gruesome journeys, quite often in filthy conditions, cramped, and often trampling on each other. In summer, they are transported in scathingly high temperatures, dehydrated and exhausted. Some of them perish.

The EU Commission’s ‘Farm To Fork’ strategy clearly states that the EU Commission intends to review the legislation on animal transport. In December 2019, the Council of the EU highlighted in its conclusions on animal welfare that ‘clear shortcomings and inconsistencies remain’ regarding the challenges of long-distance transport.

According to the European Commission’s overview audit reports of animal transport by land and by sea, there is widespread non-compliance and regular failure by Member State authorities to enforce the EU law protecting animals during transport. In addition, there are many loopholes that need to be strengthened. In particular, we call for an end to exports of animals outside the EU.

EU intervenes in crisis of cattle stranded at sea for over two months | Compassion in World Farming (ciwf.eu)