Background on the Situation
Approximately 3,000 cattle originating from Uruguay have been stuck on a cargo ship off the coast of Turkey for about three weeks due to missing health and trade documents, according to Turkish authorities.
The Ship and Its Journey
The cargo ship “Spiridon II” departed from Montevideo, Uruguay on September 19. It has been anchored off the port of Bandirma, Turkey since October 21.
Health and Trade Document Issues
Turkish officials reported that there were irregularities in the cattle’s loading, including missing ear tags and electronic identification chips. Additionally, 469 animals did not match the provided lists.
As a result, entry of the shipment into Turkey was denied, and 15 defective certificates were marked as “rejected.” This decision was communicated to customs on October 23.
Uruguayan Perspective
Marcelo Rodríguez, Director of Livestock Services at Uruguay’s Ministry of Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca (MGAP), clarified that there is no sanitary issue.
Rodríguez explained that the problem lies in a commercial dispute between the exporter and importer, as some selected animals did not make it onto the ship.
He stated that more than 4,000 animals were chosen for quarantine and examination before export, with approximately 2,900 ultimately selected for the final destination. From a sanitary standpoint, everything is in order.
Animal Welfare Concerns
Various NGOs, including the Foundation for Animal Welfare (AWF), have raised concerns about the animals’ welfare, demanding immediate disembarkation. According to AWF, at least 48 animals had died by the previous week.
The cattle were intended for Turkish and Middle Eastern markets, including Israel, as per AWF and the French NGO Robin des Bois.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the issue? Nearly 3,000 Uruguayan cattle are stranded off the coast of Turkey due to missing health and trade documents.
- What are the irregularities? Missing ear tags, electronic identification chips, and discrepancies between the number of animals and provided lists led to the shipment’s denial.
- What is Uruguay’s stance? The Uruguayan Ministry of Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca (MGAP) claims there is no sanitary issue; the problem is a commercial dispute between exporter and importer.
- What are the animal welfare concerns? NGOs, such as AWF, have reported poor conditions and at least 48 cattle deaths since the ship’s departure.
- What was the intended destination? The cattle were destined for Turkish and Middle Eastern markets, including Israel.
