The ‘Al Shawaikh’ has now departed Kuwait City and is back at sea, heading for Hamad in Qatar. ETA is currently 3/8.
Category: Live Transport
We tried, and we believed until the last day that we would make it at least to a fair punishment.
When 70,000 beings are dragged to Kuwait for 18 days under murderous temperatures with minimal livelihoods, the question arises automatically:
who bears the responsibility for this crime? what could be a just punishment?
We accompanied this coffin from the satellite every day, and that gave us the feeling of being with the sufferer.
In their last, agonizing days.
We did not have the right to file a complaint against the Romanian Ministry or the transport company as it should.
We only do an investigative work on the rights of animals from this blog, we are not an association nor an organization.
This would be justified by other organizations or Eurogroups, who have very quickly lost the interest in this death procession of the 70,000 sheep to Kuwait.
We were the first to report on Romania’s violation oagains the EU Animal Transport Act.
And leave this vile battlefield last.
Sad as never before.
For two reasons.
Because we could not stop this death journey from the beginning, in the port of Midia.
This was the fate of animals already sealed.
And on the other hand, because we could not count on the help of any organization, Eurogroup or association; all these had given up these 70.000 beings, the case “Midia” made for the media and animal rights sides only on the first day a headline, for all others was the transport to Kuwait a hopeless case, just like any animal transport.
Nobody can imagine what the 70,000 sheep on a sea coffin under the Kuwaiti flag has suffered.
And while we believe that our day-to-day experiences of suffering animals harden us, in this particular case we reach the limit of emotional explosion, hate those who caused the tragedy, and those who ignored this tragedy .
At the latest since the case of “Midia” we know that the EU is not there for the animals, but for those who do business with animals.
But we have learned something else, too:
Those who fight alone in animal welfare, has no chance to achieve even minimal benefit for the animals.
The fight against corrupt politicians and the criminal animal industry is a collective struggle.
So we can call the tragedy of “Midia” a collective failure!
My best regards to all, Venus
Update 1/8/19 1120hrsGMT.
Kuwait city is +2 hrs AHEAD of UK GMT.
The current temperature in Kuwait City is 46 Degrees.
The Romanian sheep carrying vessel ‘Al Shuwaikh’ has now arrived at Kuwait city, putting into dock very near to the Ghazaki Road near to other vessels ‘APL Gulf Express’ and ‘Portland II’ .
Therefore it is clear that the vessel will dock today – 1/8/19; and not on the 3/8 as previously scheduled.
Further reading of interest:
https://www.animalsaustralia.org/features/kltt-not-so-different-from-emanuel-exports.php
The (Australian) Secretary has signed an Order prohibiting sheep exports from 1 June 2019 to 31 August 2019—the first ever prohibition on the export of sheep on animal welfare grounds.
So now it is ok to take EU sheep from Romania at this time ? – does the EU care ? – Read on:
Romanian authorities have flouted Commissioner Andriukaitis’ call on Thursday to the Romanian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to stop the transport to Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. In his plea, the Commissioner stressed the impossibility of complying with EU animal welfare legal provisions under the extreme temperatures on the route.
Sources at the Romanian port of Midia say that they are being prevented from approaching the vessel – the Al Shuwaikh, owned by the Kuwaiti company Livestock Transport & Trading (KLTT) – but that they can “hear the animals loud and clear”.
In 2018 animals on KLTT vessels were found baking in their own skins, gasping for air, smothered in faeces and unable to lie down to rest or even reach food or water. During such voyages, heat and humidity combinations reach levels that cause heat stroke, resulting in sheep literally cooking alive in the holds of vessels.
“Despite the intervention of Commissioner Andriukaitis, Petre Daea has turned a deaf ear to the fact that this shipment is likely to breach Art 3 of the EU Regulation (EC) 1/2005 stating that animals shall not be transported in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering,” says Reineke Hameleers, Director of Eurogroup for Animals. “According to EU legislation on transport, if animal welfare cannot be guaranteed until the final destination, transportation should not take place. We need infringement proceedings right now.”
If they reach their destination alive, the animals will be slaughtered without stunning for the “Festival of Sacrifice” which takes place in August.
WAV Comment – we wait to see the harsh penalties that the EU is going to enforce on Romania for this farce – or will it be just a wrist slap ?
Romanian Sheep Transporter Ship
Update 31/7/19 1600hrs GMT.
The vessel is currently under its own power movement in the Persian Gul; West of Kaki / Khormoj (Iran).
It is doing around 14.5 knots; and we do not expect any more stops before the vessel arrives in Kuwait, which is scheduled for 3/8.
Temperature currently 37 degrees, which is substantially higher than the maximum EU Regulations defined in 1/2005 for transporting animals; which EU member states should comply with when transporting animals. Romania IS a member state of the EU. As we have said for a very long time, EU rules in animal welfare mean absolutely nothing – they are worth less than the paper they are written on.
We would like to thank everyone who has expressed concerns (via our site) about this shipment, which we are pleased to be able to give you regular daily updates on. Once the vessel has completed its arrival in Kuwait and we have the data recorded, then we can move on with our actions. We need to get data on the completion of the shipment; as this then means we have data for the entire transport from Romania; which we consider is a good source of reference.
At the moment, we (WAV) are discussing the best ways to move forward in order that we bring this shipment to the attention of relevant people that matter.
The EU has basically closed down now for Summer holidays – lets hope MEP’s are not going to the Middle East by ship, as we would not want to see them standing in their own faeces and urine for long periods of time in such high temperatures – or would we ? – if this were the case, maybe they would actually do something about it.
Contacting Romanian government departments is currently being considered as another option. More info to come about all this once we have fully tracked the entire shipment of this vessel back to Kuwait and thus have a full recored of the journey.
Regards Mark (WAV)
Update – 30/7/19 1630hrs GMT.
The Al Shuwaikh which is destined for Kuwait on 3/8 has now departed Jebel Ali which is near to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
As it is currently underway using its own power and is travelling at 12.7 knots.
It arrived at the port at16-35 local time on 29/7.
We will track as always to see if she makes for Qatar or Bahrain before getting to Kuait.
Update – 30/7/19 1330GMT.
The Al Shuwaikh which is destined for Kuwait on 3/8 is currently moored at Jebel Ali – near to the Jebel Ali Industrial Area; near to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
As it is currently moored it is doing 0 knots speed.
It arrived at the port at16-35 local time on 29/7.
Want to hear a story about the EU ?
The European Commission should actually be paying us to do the job of being EU inspectors. But desperation is not in our vocabulary, so we work independently. We have been doing this blog since the first day (15/7) of the shipment from Romania, and only with the modest resources that we have available.
It is illegal and ethically unacceptable for a ship with 70,000 live sheep to be at sea since 15 July.
Primarily the biggest disgrace was that no one was able to forbid the ship to depart in the first place.
Commissioner Andriukaitis (below) has failed.
EU countries, as member states, should be forced (policed) to comply with EU animal transport regulations. EU Regulations (1/20005) stipulate that animals can be transported in heat only as long as the temperature in the vehicles does not exceed 30 ° C (with 5 ° C tolerance upwards).
This is stipulated by the Regulation for animal transports over 8 hours journey time.
The ‘Al Shuwaikh’ is on the sea since July 15 with 70,000 Romanian sheep.
It has previously docked in Jeddah; and today (29/7) in Jebel Ali which is located in United Arab Emirates.
How many animals are still being carried ? – are they all offloaded at previous ports or are some still aboard and alive ?, what has become of the bodies of those who have died painfully in the past?
Should we wait until they are sighted by tourists and share the beach of Tenerife?
Is not it to be feared that half of the sheep are already dead when they drive around the sea for two full weeks at a temperature of over 40 degrees?
And is not it shameful that none of our highly paid EU Commissioners are worried, how are the sheep going to be disposed of?
Disrespect! Not only towards animals, but also towards the environment, against the law, which is designed by the EU itself to keep everything correct and in check !!.
We at WAV / SAV reported about it.
We were among the 70,000 living beings in this way, that was the least we could do for them, we could not do anything else.
Now we are talking with other animal organisations to approach future campaigns against actions such as this.
In the future, we will often take to the streets.
We are fed up with corruption, indifference, the cheating of people and animals by non-compliant governments and EU oligarchs.
We are many who want to abolish mass animal husbandry and torturous animal transports.
And we will fight hard and consistent for our Animal Companions.
Regards – Mark and Venus.
Update 29/7/19 – 1730hrs GMT
The Al Shuwaikh livestock carrier has today (1629hrs) visited the Port of Jebel Ali which is located in United Arab Emirates at 25.0384N, 55.0628E
ETA for Kuwait is still scheduled for 3/8/19.
Update 29/7/19 – 0930hrs GMT
The Al Shuwaikh livestock carrier is currently positioned in the Straight of Hormuz; NE of Khasab – United Arab Emirates. SW of Bandar Abbas (Iran) -see map below.
Speed – 15.8 knots
ETA for Kuwait is still 3/8/19.
Update: 28/7/19 1140hrs GMT.
The Al Shuwaikh is now in the Gulf of Oman; to the North East of Muscat city in Oman.
As you can see from the map, Kuwait is located much further up the gulf.
The vessel is due to arrive in Kuwait on 3/8/19.
Will soon be sailing the ‘Straits of Hormuz’, which as all news watchers will know, has been a problem area over the last few weeks for oil carrier shipping.
World Animals Voice 