Global network calls for urgent international regulation of livestock ships after repeated maritime disasters

By Soapbox Communications

A global network of 36 animal welfare and protection organisations around the world issued an urgent call to the International Maritime Organization (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 organisations outlined systemic safety failures across the global live export shipping fleet, which is now the oldest of any shipping sector, with an average vessel age of 40 years - well beyond the internationally accepted safe operational lifespan of 25 years.

The call follows the recent disaster involving the livestock carrier MV Spiridon II and comes amid growing concern that without urgent international intervention, further catastrophic loss of life is inevitable.“These disasters are not accidents, they are the predictable result of a system that allows substandard vessels to carry living animals without any specific international safety or welfare codes,” Michelle Taberer, StopLiveExportSA spokesperson, said.

“The reality is that livestock vessels have remained the most detained ship type globally since 2017, despite representing only a small percentage of the world fleet and ourselves and our coalition partners find this totally unacceptable which is why we have formally approached the IMO.”

Research shows that many of the ageing livestock vessels operate under flags of convenience with weak regulatory oversight and are repeatedly found to be in breach of international pollution and safety rules.

“No other shipping sector would be allowed to operate with vessels this old, this unsafe and this poorly regulated while carrying living, sentient cargo,” added Taberer.

“The failure to regulate these ships is costing human lives, devastating ecosystems and condemning millions of animals to suffering and death at sea every year and improvements must be made.”

Since 2000, at least seven major livestock carriers have been lost at sea, resulting in the deaths of dozens of seafarers and tens of thousands of animals. Disasters include Gulf Livestock 1 (2020), Haidar (2015), Queen Hind (2019), Al Badri (2022) and Danny F II (2009).

Ongoing research over many years has shown that animals transported on long-distance sea voyages often endure extreme heat stress, overcrowding, prolonged confinement in waste-soaked pens, as well as disease and injury. In addition, increasingly seafarers are faced with unsafe working conditions, exposure to zoonotic diseases and collapsing animal decks.

As a result of these constant animal welfare issues, several countries, including New Zealand, India, the United Kingdom and Australia, have already legislated bans or phase-outs of live exports by sea.

Yet globally, around 110 livestock carriers continue operating, with vessels regularly discharging untreated animal effluent and carcasses at sea, including in protected Special Areas such as the Mediterranean, Red Sea and Persian Gulf.

In their collaborative letter, the global network of animal welfare advocates calls on the IMO to urgently:

• Develop a binding International Code for the Carriage of Livestock

• Mandate enforceable standards for:

• Vessel design and stability

• Ventilation and life-support systems

• Waste and carcass management

• Crew safety

• Animal welfare

• Require contingency plans to prevent open-ended voyages when animals are refused unloading

• Strengthen port inspection regimes worldwide

• Investigate widespread violations of MARPOL pollution laws