Livestock Carrier Accused of MARPOL Violations as it Tries to Unload Cattle
Animal advocacy groups are again sounding the alarm about a livestock carrier that appears to be roaming the Mediterranean seeking ports to unload its cargo after it was turned away from Turkey. The Animal Welfare Foundation is calling attention to the situation aboard the Togo-flagged vessel Spiridon II as it continues to advocate for a ban on live animal transport on the high seas.
The vessel has been at sea since September 20 with an initial load of 2,901 cattle, which had been destined for Turkey coming from Uruguay. After reaching Turkey on October 22, the vessel was stopped from unloading after the Turks reportedly found irregularities in the paperwork, including a mismatch between the papers and the animal’s tags. The ship was briefly permitted to dock to load additional supplies, but set sail again on November 14, reporting the cargo was being returned to Uruguay, where it was expected on December 14.
The Animal Welfare Foundation has been tracking the vessel and reports it has gone dark on several occasions in the past few days. The ship turned up off the coast of Tunisia and then arrived in Benghazi, Libya, on November 22. Eyewitnesses and satellite images showed trucks at the vessel, and loaded animal transporters were seen leaving the port area on Sunday, November 23.
It is unclear how many of the animals were offloaded and what the status is aboard the vessel. AWF reports that the veterinarian who accompanied the animals on the trip from Uruguay left the ship in Turkey. They also speculate that the feed loaded in Turkey on November 9 is depleted.
Spiridon II in the port of Bandarma © Animal Welfare Foundation/Animal Save Movement Türkiye
Also, unclear is what has happened to the carcasses of the animals that died aboard. Veterinary authorities in Turkey had reported that at least 58 animals had died, and AWF fears far more died, as well as the pregnant cows that were aboard and due to give birth.
“We assume the dead animals were thrown overboard,” AWF writes, “and that the sewage accumulated over two months was illegally discharged.” They had noted white sacks on the deck of the vessel, which were missing when it reached Libya. Observers also said they did not notice “any smell of manure or dead animals.”
“We are witnessing one of the most serious violations of animal welfare and marine conservation in recent years – and yet another example of the structural failure of the live animal trade by sea,” says Maria Boada Saña, veterinarian at AWF. “The authorities must now immediately clarify whether there are still animals on board, where the animals are being taken, and what happened during the signal shutdowns.”
AWF is calling for an international investigation into the ship as well as a medical examination of any animals still onboard. It is also demanding an investigation into possible MARPOL violations.
The Spiridon II, according to its AIS signal, departed Benghazi on November 24. It reports a destination of Alexandria, Egypt, where it is due on November 27. AWF highlights that the vessel had previously indicated a destination of Lebanon. Databases indicated the ship is managed from Lebanon and owned by a company in Honduras.
Built in 1973, the vessel is 4,000-dwt and is listed as having 4,000 square meters of space for animals. It was converted to a livestock carrier in 2011 and has been registered in Togo since 2018.