The ABC reports that only some of the animals on board the controversy-plagued live export ship MV Bahijah will be offloaded in Western Australia. The rest will apparently be sent back  to the Middle East, under a plan put forward by the export company.

In a statement, the Department said the exporter had this morning provided "supporting information" to its application to unload some animals in Australia before re-exporting the remaining animals to the Middle East.

And next we will be reminded that the animal export industry has animal welfare as its highest priority. If  these sheep and cattle are turned back around to the ME, then days to destination  will exceed any previous voyage other than the disastrous Cormo Express voyage. Lets not forget that these animals are exposed to 24h lighting, ship movement, constant noise (>80dB) in addition to sea movement, limited ability to move around and lie down with cumulative stresses increasing every day they are kept on the ship. Jo Moore, for example in her PhD thesis, found that the longer the voyage, the greater the  Bovine Respiratory Disease....and that was on voyages that were less than half of the current proposal. As for how the sheep with much longer wool length (likely now >ASEL) will deal with crossing the Equator a second time?

If the export industry does care about animal welfare and if they dont want to have the cattle trade killed off with the sheep trade, then now would be the time to unload these animals. Animal welfare experts are dismayed, Veterinarians dismayed. Dont expect the public to think this is OK...its not.


See: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-31/mv-bahijah-live-sheep-export-vessel/103406578

Another daily update on ship position and speed remembering it needs to maintain an average of 11.5 knots to make it to Pakistan by the most direct route in the original estimated time (2024-02-14 15:30 LT (UTC +5)), changed on Day 2 of the sea voyage to 2024-02-15 08:00 LT (UTC +5), changed on Day 4: 2024-02-15 12:00 LT (UTC+5). Now 2024-02-15 18:00 LT

Time: 31.01.2024 08:58
Position -24.732, 105.348
Speed: 11.1kn

Unless speed picks up dramatically, the stated ETA seems unlikely.

No-one in the farming industry had even the slightest concern about livestock export ships shuttling back and forth to Indonesia (a short hop away) when foot and mouth disease was there and with lumpy skin disease ongoing. FMD would be a catastrophe for Australian farmers and Aussie travellers going nowhere near livestock were told to disinfect or throw away their thongs whilst the biggest risk was actually livestock export ships that had had Indonesian livestock personnel wandering all over them.
Now, we have a ship full of Australian livestock that has been floating around in the ocean for 30 days, nowhere near land or any exotic diseases and suddenly it is the high risk that Indonesian cattle ships werent. Those farmers who so want to convince the public that they love their animals and really really care about them and have the world's highest animal welfare standards, want to restock this ship with fodder and send their much loved animals 6 or more weeks around the Cape to finish their mammoth voyage ( a voyage that would go close to or exceed the Cormo Express voyage of 79 days).
Needless to say, farmers are losing any shreds of credibility they may have had left.
And if the Dept doesnt act decisively and intervene to order unloading, quarantine and slaughter, then any credibility it (and that of Australian animal welfare generally) may still have would also be shot.

See: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-30/live-export-ship-mv-bahijah-stranded-off-fremantle-port/103401754

Another daily update on ship position and speed remembering it needs to maintain an average of 11.5 knots to make it to Pakistan by the most direct route in the original estimated time (2024-02-14 15:30 LT (UTC +5)), changed on Day 2 of the sea voyage to 2024-02-15 08:00 LT (UTC +5), changed on Day 4: 2024-02-15 12:00 LT (UTC+5) and then 2024-02-15 14:00 LT. Now its 2024-02-15 18:00 LT (ie in 16 days if clock isnt just gently wound back further).

Time: 2024-01-30 20:34 +1100
Position: S 28° 05.18' E 108° 32.50' (ieNW of Geraldton SW of Shark Bay).
Speed: an uninspiring 10.1 knots

Whilst all eyes are on the Bahijah, the Friesian Express is chugging right along. Barely past west coast of Oz, ETA in Karachi still unchanged but speed mostly around 10 knots so ETA impossible....

The MV Bahijah, the ship that had to return to Australia with its load of sheep and cattle, is sitting off the coast of WA. Rumour had it, it would be berthed by 4pm today but it hasn't. The pilot vessel has just come in with no ship tagging along behind.

One wonders if it would be preferable for both the industry and the Dept of Ag, who were incompetent enough to approve the voyage into a war zone, to actually start unloading after dark when the public can't see the state of the 2500 head of cattle and 14,000 sheep being transported on the trucks.

And meanwhile, some farmers apparently think it fine to keep them on the ship and send them back around the Cape... for another 6 week voyage – not a great reflection on their animal welfare understanding.

Anyhow, we will attempt to keep viewers up to date while continuing to track the Friesian Express.

Another daily update on ship position and speed remembering it needs to maintain an average of 11.5 knots to make it to Pakistan by the most direct route in the original estimated time (2024-02-14 15:30 LT (UTC +5)), changed on Day 2 of the sea voyage to 2024-02-15 08:00 LT (UTC +5), changed on Day 4: 2024-02-15 12:00 LT (UTC+5).

Position at 2024-01-27 20:00 UTC (2024-01-28 07.00 AEDT)
Lat -35.5246 Lng 117.2870
Speed:10.3 kn...ripping right along

So for those who work better in place names, it has taken 6 days of sailing from Portland just to creep past Albany. Lets hope for the cattle it now picks up speed in the Indian Ocean OR that the Dept comes to its senses and recalls it to Fremantle.

Houthi attacks have now extended into the Gulf of Aden (not so far from Arabian Sea - Karachi) and Pakistan/Iran volatility continues with Pakistani civilian deaths this morning.

There is no possible contingency plan that could cover anything going wrong with this vessel heading to the volatile ME. 60% voyages are underestimated by exporters and only 3 extra days of food are required...so each day over the ETA is another day of extra fodder gone.

Watch this space for daily updates on ship position and speed - it needs to maintain an average of 11.5 knots to make it to Pakistan by the most direct route in the original estimated time (2024-02-14 15:30 LT (UTC +5)), changed on Day 2 of the sea voyage to 2024-02-15 08:00 LT (UTC +5), changed on Day 4: 2024-02-15 12:00 LT (UTC+5).

For Day 5: no change in ETA in Karachi. Sailing at just over 10 knots again ( 10.4 when last checked, though 9 this morning) after dipping down below 9 for some of the voyage across the Bight. Current position: just west of Esperance.

Watch this space for daily updates on ship position and speed - it needs to maintain an average of 11.5 knots to make it to Pakistan by the most direct route in the original estimated time (2024-02-14 15:30 LT (UTC +5)), changed on Day 2 of the sea voyage to 2024-02-15 08:00 LT (UTC +5), changed on Day 4: 2024-02-15 12:00 LT (UTC+5)

26-Jan 7.00 26/01  20.00 25/01 SPEED: 8 knots
26-Jan19.00 26/01  08.00 26/01 SPEED: 8.7 knots

At this glacial pace, no chance this ship is ever going to be there by 15th Feb (let alone 14th Feb)...as predicted by VALE and discussed with the Dept.

Watch this space for daily updates on ship position and speed - it needs to maintain an average of 11.5 knots to make it to Pakistan by the most direct route in the original estimated time (2024-02-14 15:30 LT (UTC +5)), changed on Day 2 of the sea voyage to 2024-02-15 08:00 LT (UTC +5):

Position:
Navigational status:
Status moving:
Area: Great Australian Bight
Last seen: 2024-01-23 1 day ago 

Sorry folks no more public updates on position and speed for the moment. VALE will still follow the progress of this ship.