- NGOs warn of corrosion risks, poor flag oversight and recurring casualties.
- Waste discharge and dead animals at sea are cited as major environmental threats.
- Crew face unsafe conditions, disease exposure and unstable employment.
A group of animal welfare organisations is calling on the IMO Secretary-General to revamp the regulations governing livestock carriers. They’re sounding the alarm about the ageing global fleet, which they describe as old, unsafe, and poorly monitored. Many of these vessels are over 40 years old and often repurposed from outdated ships, making them susceptible to corrosion and operational failures, reports Safety4Sea.
Evidence of Systemic Failures
The letter points to a series of disasters, including incidents involving Gulf Livestock 1, Haidar, and Queen Hind, as clear evidence of ongoing issues. A significant number of livestock ships operate under black- or grey-listed flags, where enforcement of MARPOL regulations, equipment standards, and working conditions is alarmingly lax.
Environmental Risks from Waste Discharge
The organisations report that untreated manure, wastewater, and carcasses are often dumped into the ocean, leading to pollution and public health hazards in sensitive regions like the Mediterranean and Red Seas.
Animal Welfare and Crew Safety Concerns
Risks specific to livestock remain largely unregulated due to gaps in IMO conventions. This results in predictable issues such as heat stress, overcrowding, disease, and animals standing in their waste for weeks on end. Crew members are also put in jeopardy, facing unsafe conditions, crumbling structures, direct exposure to pathogens, and dangerous interactions with large animals.
Financial Instability Across the Sector
Insurers and the ITF have pointed out that livestock carriers are facing significant issues, including high rates of detained vessels, abandoned crews, and ongoing financial struggles, which are further compromising safety and welfare standards.
Global Shift Away from Live Animal Exports
A number of exporting countries, like New Zealand, India, Australia, and the UK, have either implemented or announced plans to ban or phase out live animal exports. However, there are still about 110 carriers in operation, many of which are nearing the end of their operational life, raising concerns about potential accidents if coordinated action isn’t taken.
Call for an International Livestock Carrier Code
The organisations are calling on the IMO to create a specific International Code for the Carriage of Livestock. While other high-risk cargo sectors have their own specialised IMO codes, the transport of millions of live animals each year is still governed by general shipping rules that aren’t tailored for livestock. They believe that having a dedicated code is crucial for protecting seafarers, preserving our oceans, and enhancing animal welfare.
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Source: Safety4Sea
