Nov. 20 (UPI) — A ship carrying 2,901 Uruguayan cows has been stranded off the coast of Turkey for more than three weeks, unable to unload its cargo because of a dispute over veterinary certification between the exporting company and the importer.
Authorities from Turkey and Uruguay met to resolve the standoff, but no agreement was reached, and the ship started to return to Montevideo, with an estimated arrival date of Dec. 14.
The cows “are on the ship returning to Uruguay, but what we have discussed with those responsible is that they will try along the way to redirect the animals to another market,” Marcelo Rodríguez, director of Livestock Services at Uruguay’s Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, told the press.
The Spiridon II, a Togo-flagged ship built in 1973, left Montevideo on Sept. 19 bound for Turkey with cattle intended for fattening and breeding.
After it arrived at the port of Bandirma on Oct. 22, Turkish authorities denied permission to unload when they found that 469 animals lacked ear tags or electronic chips, invalidating the veterinary certificates. The ship remained then anchored in the Sea of Marmara, unable to unload the animals.
As days passed, the situation worsened. Animal-welfare groups reported overcrowding, food shortages, poor ventilation and health risks. At least 58 cows were estimated to have died, and more than 50 calves were born in unsanitary conditions.
Uruguay’s Ministry of Livestock said all sanitary requirements had been met and attributed the dispute to a commercial disagreement between the Uruguayan exporter and the Turkish importer.
“This is not a conflict between states,” Minister Alfredo Fratti said, though he acknowledged the case affects the country’s reputation as a live-animal exporter.
The outlook is not encouraging. Uruguay’s Animal Welfare Foundation said the Spiridon II has more than 80 deficiencies documented in previous inspections and is not authorized to transport animals in Europe, but continues operating on routes with fewer regulations.
María Boada Saña, a foundation representative, told El Clarín that the ship did not carry enough feed and that it is unlikely the animals will reach Uruguay alive.
Experts said the cargo was valued at more than $5 million, a significant sum for Uruguayan exporters, the digital outlet +P reported.
The incident comes during a period of strong activity in Uruguay’s live-animal export sector. According to the National Meat Institute, Uruguay has exported more than 315,640 animals so far this year, the highest total since 2018, with revenues exceeding $322 million. Turkey accounts for 90% of that market.
