TRANSPORTATION AND JOURNEY

Live Exports

No way of being transported, taken on a journey, is likely to be pleasant for sheep. Live exports is the transportation of livestock across national borders. Live exports of sheep, when it consists of sheep being carried on a ship on sea, for a long time, is likely to be type of travel that is most unpleasant for sheep. The reasons for live exports of sheep are most usually: that a religion requires that those of the religion see that sheep are slaughtered to a particular rite; that sheep are needed to be exported for breeding purposes. Some countries have banned live exports. Australia is to ban live exports of sheep by sea on 1st May 2028. Ban Live Exports International Awareness Day is on 14th June, so this year it was last Sunday.

Compassion in World Farming tells from what things animals being exported live may suffer. Among them are: overcrowding, exhaustion, hunger and dehydration, fear and stress, tragic results.

Reported has been a horrific May occurrence.

World Animal Protection described it:

‘Around 4,000 sheep and goats have died after a live export ship caught fire and sank off the coast of Oman, in yet another deadly incident involving the global animal trade.

The vessel, MSV Haji Ali, was travelling from Berbera in Somalia to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates when a fire broke out on board. The ship later sank.

All 14 crew members were rescued by the Oman Coast Guard. The animals on board were left behind. Trapped below deck, the sheep and goats are believed to have died from drowning, smoke inhalation or the fire itself.

With no way to escape, they would have faced panic and distress in their final moments. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.’

(‘Thousands of sheep and goats drown after live export ship sinks near Oman’, Michelle Baxter Wickham, Head of Food Systems Strategy at World Animal Protection, 28th May 2026).

There is suspicion that MSV Haji Ali was struck by a drone.

The Maritime Executive says:

‘Animal welfare organisations are renewing their push for a total ban on seaborne livestock exports’ after the incident.

It continues:

‘Maritime intelligence firm Windward reported that the Indian-flagged cargo vessel MSV Haji Ali sank following a suspected drone attack in the volatile Strait of Hormuz region …. The attack triggered a fire that caused the ship to sink ...’.

The Maritime Executive then says: 

‘According to Windward, the vessel was operating with its automatic identification system switched off at the time of the incident.’

(‘After Iranian Attack, Activists Renew Push for Live Export Ban’, 31st May 2026)

To be hoped is that the attention that the MSV Haji Ali tragic incident has received will hasten banning throughout the world of live exports.   

18th June 2026