Stop Tasmanian Animal Cruelty

Kuwaiti Livestock ships

LIVE EXPORT SHIPS HAVE HAD TO BE UPGRADED

MARIUS CUMING
26/03/2009 7:33:00 PM
Article from The Land

After months of hold-ups, court cases, appeals and bureaucracy surrounding livestock sewage, all three Kuwaiti-owned live sheep ships are almost ready to load sheep again.

Three Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading (KLTT) ships - the Al Kuwait, the Al Shuwaikh and the Al Messilah - have all been unable to load sheep as they did not comply with new maritime regulations surrounding livestock sewage tanks and pumping arrangements.

Last year, the company won a Federal Court case challenging the validity of Marine Orders issued by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which required livestock sewage holding tanks and pumps be placed on foreign flagged vessels.

KLTT argued that the vessels were certified according to international regulations governing livestock sewage pollution prevention.

However the ruling was subsequently appealed by AMSA and the appeal was upheld by the full bench of the Federal Court.

General manager of KLTT subsidiary Rural Export and Trading, Mr Mike Gordon, said the ships were now in the process of being modified then approved by AMSA after being delayed for up to a month.

“It has been a frustrating and involved process but we have finally found a way forward through this issue,” he added.

The company involved in the trading of the stock, Emanuel Exports, is also keen to get on with business.

“As far as I know all eight ships that operate in this trade are turning around (from the Middle East) on a regular basis and are operating as normal,” Emanuel Exports Graham Daws told Rural Press this week.

Mr Daws confirmed there had been a two week hold up with one of its four ships, the Al Shuwaikh, but said the ship was now on track to deliver sheep to the Middle East next month alongside the other three live-export ships operated by Emanuel Exports.

“The Shuwaikh is due for an April delivery and the stories that have been circulating about ships not being able to load and heading to Singapore to be upgraded are simply untrue,” he added.

Mr Daws added the industry was presently traveling at “100 miles an hour” with the main factor holding back the trade being the significant shortage of animals.

“Every ship that is looking for sheep is traveling to the Eastern states. There is no doubt the industry is in good shape. It is just the lack of stock that has us looking a little harder,” he said.

http://theland.farmonline.com.au/news/nationalrural/livestock/sheep/live-exports-ships-to-be-upgraded/1470284.aspx


Update - April 9 2009


We understand that the Al Shuwaikh has been approved for loading by AMSA and may have already loaded in Portland, Victoria. The Al Messilah may also have been approved, and appears to be heading for Portland (currently in the Great Australian Bight). The Al Kuwait appears to have 'dropped off the radar'.

Brave, if less than truthful statements from Mr Gordon and Mr Daws.


The three Kuwaiti ships have been out of service since the Federal Court judgment of February

10 2009, and it should be noted that there was a phase in period of several years for

compliance with Marine Orders Pt 43. These operators clearly thought they were above the

law.

The 43 year old 'Al Kuwait'

The 30 year old former vehicle transporter 'Al Messilah'

The 24 year old 'Al Shuwaikh'

The eight ships referred to in Cummings' article are, we believe, the Al Kuwait (43 years old), the Al Shuwaikh (24 years old), and the Al Messilah (30 years old), the Bader III (33 years old), the Maysora (21 years old), the Merino (aka Cormo) Express (31 years old), the Stella Deneb (29 years old), and the 'pride of the fleet', the Becrux, launched in 2002 on a maiden voyage that was one of the most significant disasters of the trade.

AMSA, in its RIS for the implementation of Marine Orders Pt43, indicated that it would see the oldest and worst ships retired. You be the judge

'World's best practice' in animal welfare? You be the

judge.

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