Overview
- Turkish authorities denied unloading due to veterinary certification discrepancies, marking 15 documents "RECHAZADO" and citing hundreds of animals with missing or unreadable identification.
- Uruguay’s agriculture officials say the shipment meets sanitary standards and describe the dispute as a commercial matter between the exporter and a Turkish importer.
- After a virtual meeting failed to produce a deal, the Spiridon II departed the Sea of Marmara and is now in the Mediterranean, with vessel tracking indicating an estimated arrival in Montevideo around December 14.
- Animal-welfare groups report severe on-board distress, including dozens of deaths — about 48 reported by Animal Welfare Foundation — and a Turkish judicial filing citing 58 deaths during the outbound voyage, plus multiple births and concerns over insufficient feed.
- The Togo-flagged ship, built in 1973, has a Paris MoU 'black flag' risk rating and 84 recorded deficiencies since 2021, prompting heightened safety and welfare concerns for the return journey.