Al Messilah - A 'reportable voyage'

Devonport Shipment reported for excessive mortality rates

AACT was recently alerted by Live Export Shame Tasmania that the voyage of the “Al Messilah” which left Devonport in February 2006 was a “reportable voyage” because it exceeded the “acceptable” mortality rate for the sheep on board. According to a mortality report from an investigation conducted by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS), 1683 sheep died on the marathon 27 day journey to Jebel Ali, Bahrain, Kuwait and Doha. Of the cattle already on board when the ship arrived in Devonport, 0.76% died as well. This reflects a higher mortality rate, and numbers, than the “Al Kuwait” case currently before the courts in Western Australia. The 26 year old “Al Messilah” was previously investigated by AQIS in October 2002, when 2,173 sheep died on board, representing 2.82% of its load, and an average 103 sheep died PER DAY on that voyage, mostly from salmonellosis and what the industry calls “shy feeding” (that is, they starved to death).

Roberts had originally stated that it was sending 45 000 sheep on the “Merino Express” (which is the notorious but now re-named Cormo Express), and that these sheep would be going to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Eventually the larger Al Messilah was brought in and 71,000 sheep were loaded for the torturously long 27 day journey to 5 different ports. We were also told the ship would arrive empty, but it had cattle already on board. It would seem that on all levels Roberts cannot be trusted.

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