The Government of Portugal issued a statement concerning a Sierra Leone-flagged livestock carrier that experienced an engine issue off the Portuguese coast immediately after departing from the port of Sines on Wednesday, October 23.
It is estimated that at the time of the incident, the vessel was carrying 1,400 cattle and 2,000 sheep. After the incident took place, the livestock carrier was towed back to the port where it arrived on Thursday, October 24. The ship was then allowed to depart Sines on October 29, after all the repair work has been completed.
It is further added that while the vessel was anchored at the port, Portugal’s Directorate-General of Food and Veterinary Medicine (DGAV) carried out all the necessary controls to ensure animal welfare.
The 3,100 dwt vessel is identified as Uranus II and according to data provided by VesselsValue’s, it is operated by the Marshall Islands-based Uranus Shipping and Transport.
In May, the livestock carrier Boi Branco caught fire while it was berthed at the Port of Piraeus, Greece. It was reported that after the fire was reported, tugs, boats, fire engines and teams were deployed in fire fighting and the fire was extinguished in several hours. Also, at the time of the incident, the vessel was in ballast, while it did not have any cattle on board.
Moreover, the livestock carrier Wardeh, carrying the Lebanese flag, ran aground off the port of Mersin, Turkey on January 15, because of a storm. Namely, the ship dragged anchor because of heavy weather and found bottom a few meters off shore. According to sources, the ship was anchored in the port for many months, waiting for sales negotiations. At the time of the incident, the ship was carrying two crew-members, whom the Turkish Coast Guard had to try to evacuate.
