The Yangtze Fortune arrived in port on Monday morning. Photo / Warren Buckland
The Yangtze Fortune arrived in port on Monday morning. Photo / Warren Buckland
The Yangtze Fortune livestock ship transporting cattle to China has arrived in Napier Port.
The ship berthed in Napier on Monday morning from Australia and is due to transport live cattle to China.
It is set to leave on Tuesday at 10.30pm, according to the Napier Port shipping schedule, withclose to 5000 cattle on board.
It is thought to be the first live export ship leaving under new rules enacted by the Government following the sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1.
The Gulf Livestock 1 capsized in a typhoon in the East China Sea in September with 43 crew and close to 6000 cattle on board. 41 people are believed to have perished.
Following the tragedy, the Government enacted a temporary ban on live exports, which expired on October 23 but a "conditional prohibition" remained in place until the end of November when MPI will have discretion to consider applications for Animal Welfare Export Certificate (AWEC) applications for livestock exports.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has introduced extra requirements including restricting stock numbers to 90 per cent of current limits; requirements for voyage reporting, including daily veterinary reports during voyages and increased minimum fodder requirements ensuring at least 20 per cent of feed is available for unplanned delays.
MPI will conduct a post-loading review after animals have been loaded. Photo / Warren Buckland
It also includes focused maritime inspection of livestock carrier ships entering New Zealand to transport livestock by Maritime New Zealand as an additional safeguard.
An MPI spokesperson said MPI received an Animal Welfare Export Certificate (AWEC) application for the shipment of up to 4750 cattle.
"But this will be approved only if, and when, MPI has conducted a post-loading review to ensure we are completely satisfied with the conditions on board and all existing and new requirements have been met.
"The approval of an AWEC is also dependent on Maritime NZ signing off on its focused maritime inspection of the ship."
The inspections of the animals, on-board conditions and the vessel involve a surveyor, MPI veterinarians and Maritime NZ staff.
The post-loading inspection will take place once the animals have been loaded and the schedule for loading is still flexible and dependent on factors such as berth availability and transport logistics of the animals to the ship.
About 100 people gathered outside the port on Saturday to protest the arrival of the ship and live exports. Photo / Warren Buckland
Animal rights organisation SAFE held a protest outside the port on Saturday.
SAFE chief executive Debra Ashton said it was an "incredibly successful" day with about 100 people in attendance.
A review of live animal export which was ordered in 2019 is yet to be released.
