Overcrowded pens, about sixty dead cattle… Endless boat trip carrying almost 3,000 cattle between Uruguay and Türkiye

The animal being sold has not set foot on dry land for two months, after the Turkish authorities refused to come down. So they left for South America.

The freighter from hell. Nearly 3,000 head of cattle had been crammed onto the ship for two months, warned NGO Robin des bois, in a press release issued Monday, November 17. After a month-long journey from Uruguay to Türkiye, the animals were trapped on board the ship for several weeks, due to a lack of appropriate certificates. They finally sailed again on November 9 for South America, where their return was planned for December, after a journey that resulted in the death of several dozen livestock. “Holstein heifers from the Uruguayan herd will break the world record for the longest journey of cow dung”wrote the NGO.

The endless journey of these animals began on September 19, when the cargo ship Spyridon II left Montevideo, Uruguay. This giant livestock ship, almost 100 meters long, is actually a former Russian multi-purpose cargo ship dating from the 1970s. “It should have been removed twenty years ago”according to the NGO Robin des bois, which lists various failures recorded on the ship since 2019. After changing hands several times, the ship now sails under the Togolese flag, according to the Vessel Finder website. A country is listed “on the flag blacklist established by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on the Control of Ships”said the NGO.

On board this cargo ship were 2,901 head of cattle and a crew of around twenty people who were supposed to reach Türkiye, where the animals would be unloaded and sold. But after a month of sailing, Turkish authorities ultimately refused to let them out, citing a lack of proper health and commercial certificates. “Inspections revealed that some animals did not have ear tags or electronic identification chips, and 469 animals did not comply with the provided list”explained the Turkish government to justify its decision.

After several weeks of negotiations, the ship was able to dock briefly on Sunday November 9 in the Turkish port of Bandirma to load hay and food, the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) detailed in a press release. But the situation on the ship continued to worsen. “After the long journey from Uruguay to Türkiye, the animals were already getting weaker. Every delay meant enormous suffering”denounced Maria Boada Saña, project manager at AWF.

Fifty-eight cows died during the crossing and at least 140 cows gave birth on the ship, according to court documents. “Living newborns have a very difficult life”In the “crowded cage”predicted the NGO, stating that this was indeed the case “It is very likely that most of the calves died”.

Faced with this situation, the NGO called on Turkish authorities to immediately remove the animals, but said it had not received a response. European authorities were also contacted by letter. Meanwhile, exporters who want to sell their livestock are challenging the decision of the Turkish veterinary authorities and starting legal proceedings. No results yet.

After this short stopover, the ship sailed back to Uruguay with thousands of cows still on board. “When they return home, they risk encountering powerful storms in the North Atlantic Ocean”NGO Robin des Bois warns. It’s quite worrying for many animal rights associations.

“This blockage, justified for health or even political reasons, endangers their lives and shows a lack of concern for the animals destined for slaughter and consumption”reacts Lorène Jacquet, head of campaigns and advocacy at 30 Million Friends Foundation. He asked finally “long-term transportation, especially when carried out on inappropriate and outdated vessels!”