In recent weeks, three large livestock ships, Bahijah, Shorthorn Express, and Galloway Express, left the port of Montevideo, Uruguay, carrying live animals to different countries.
Another ship with 7,000 breeding cows is expected to leave for Türkiye at the end of November, news outlet Infobae reported.
The Minister of Livestock, Alfredo Fratti, said the live-animal trade relationship between Türkiye and Uruguay “remains the same as always.”
The extreme suffering of the 2,901 breeding cows stranded on the livestock carrier Spiridon II has not changed this relationship.
The ship left Uruguay on September 19 and was rejected by Turkey due to issues with the animals’ documents. After weeks drifting at sea, the vessel is now sitting in the port of Benghazi, Libya.
Despite this animal welfare crisis, Uruguay continues to send new live-animal shipments abroad.
Uruguay cannot guarantee safety
The Spiridon II case showed that Uruguay cannot guarantee the safety of the animals and the crew. But for now, the Uruguayan government continues to focus on the financial gains from the trade.
This year has been one of the strongest years for Uruguay’s live-animal export sector. So far, 265,000 animals have been shipped in 2025, more than at the same time in 2024.
Export revenues have reached 289.3 million USD, close to the 2024 total of 299 million USD. The exported animals include calves, heifers and pregnant cows of breeds such as Angus, Hereford and Holstein.
In an interview with Radio Rural, operator Alejandro Dutra said: “The Middle East, and especially Turkey, want to keep these volumes. They are far from rebuilding their herds.”
Three more ships left since Spiridon II crisis
Since the news of the Spiridon II crisis, three more ships have left Uruguay with live animals.
These ships are heading to Spain, Morocco and Israel, showing that Uruguay’s live-animal export trade continues despite international concern.
Bahijah – Uruguay to Spain
After loading cattle in Montevideo, the Bahijah left Uruguay on November 17. The ship is sailing to Cartagena, Spain, where it is expected to arrive on December 2.
Shorthorn Express – Uruguay to Morocco
The Shorthorn Express departed Montevideo on November 9 and will arrive in Casablanca, Morocco. The ship is carrying 3,400 steers.
Galloway Express – Uruguay to Israel
The Galloway Express left Montevideo on November 8. It is sailing to Haifa, Israel, with 3,400 cattle on board, likely destined for feedlots or dairy farms.
Animal-welfare concerns remain
Transporting live animals by sea has long been criticised for poor welfare standards, and some countries, including New Zealand, have already banned the practice entirely.
The Spiridon II incident showed how quickly conditions can deteriorate on board, placing both animals and crew members at serious risk.
Experts warn that as live-animal exports from South America to the Middle East continue to grow, especially on these very long journeys, the likelihood of accidents, delays and welfare failures increases sharply.
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