NGOs Urge EU to Act Over Livestock Carrier’s Troubled Voyage

A coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has sent an open letter to the European Commission (EC) and Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, raising concerns about the dire conditions on a livestock carrier during a prolonged voyage.

Severe Delays and Animal Welfare Concerns

The livestock vessel Express M, which was transporting nearly 3,000 animals, faced multiple setbacks at sea, leading to severe delays and what has been described as "great suffering" for the animals on board.

The ship departed from Romania on February 22, bound for Haifa, Israel, with a voyage expected to take no longer than six days. However, it did not arrive until March 9, a full fifteen days later, according to Eurogroup for Animals.

Mechanical Issues and Conflicting Reports

During the journey, the vessel appeared to be turning back toward Romania, before changing course multiple times. After nine days of uncertainty, Ethical Farming Ireland (EFI) contacted Romanian authorities, who confirmed that the ship’s engine had broken down and that the captain had been instructed to return to port.

However, the transporter’s representative later contacted the captain, who claimed that repairs had been completed and that there was enough feed on board, with additional supplies picked up in Istanbul.

EFI, however, disputes this, stating: "The necessary repairs clearly were not carried out – the vessel went to anchor on two more occasions after that."

A Troubled History of Deficiencies

The Express M, built in 1983, is owned by UAE-based Naseem Al Bahar General and managed by Greece’s Hellas Shipping Management. The ship has a history of operational issues, including a detention in Ireland in 2020 when it was prevented from transporting cattle due to numerous deficiencies at Belview Port, Waterford.

In recent years, the vessel has been detained four more times, the most recent being in December 2024.

Call for a Ban on Live Animal Transport by Sea

The letter to the EC Commissioner urges him to investigate the incident, with Irish animal welfare advocates and other NGOs arguing that sea transport of live animals is inherently unsafe and should be phased out in the ongoing revision of transport regulations.

"These sea journeys are too risky and should be banned. We cannot guarantee the safety of animals once they have left our shores, and time and time again, serious incidents occur where thousands of animals are stranded at sea, suffering appallingly," EFI stated.

"The condition of the animals arriving at Haifa port was very poor – footage shows animals completely caked in manure, there is a lot of nasal discharge and ringworm. This particular case was made worse because the crew were not prepared for such a long journey, as it took more than twice as long as scheduled," EFI added.

With mounting evidence of repeated failures, campaigners are calling for urgent action to end live animal transport by sea and prevent further suffering.