Al Kuwait finally arrives in Middle East with WA sheep after COVID-affected crew delayed departure from Fremantle

The Al Kuwait live sheep carrier — whose crew members tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival in WA in May — has arrived at the Shuwaikh port in Kuwait this morning with a healthy consignment of animals. The arrival brings to a close an eventful five weeks which started when 20 of the ship’s 48 crew tested positive for the virus after arriving at Fremantle just a week before the three-and-a-half month northern hemisphere summer shipping ban started on June 1. Although results are yet to be officially verified and unloading will not start until later today — evening Kuwait time — the exporter reported the sheep were in good health. During the voyage, 21 of the 33,341 sheep died — equivalent to 0.063 per cent, which is below predictions for this time of year and considered an excellent result. Exporters must report deaths to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment if the mortality rate reaches one per cent or above. Mortalities on the Al Kuwait were attributed to various causes such as pneumonia and injuries, and five were documented as unknown by the veterinarian. The mortalities were not attributed to the voyage or environmental conditions, and many occurred at the start of the voyage. A final figure will be determined once the voyage is discharged. Maximum “wet bulb temperatures” on the deck reached 32C , which is 1.5C higher than the maximum ambient temperature during the voyage. Pastoralists and Graziers Association president Tony Seabrook said the result meant there was room for a review of the need for a northern hemisphere summer ban on ships. Rural Exports and Trading WA, which had 56,000 sheep prepared for export at its Baldivis pre-export quarantine facility, had to apply to DAWE for an exemption to the ban after the crew became ill. RETWA’s first application, which involved using an older vessel, was rejected. A second application, which involved using the Al Kuwait — a modern purpose-built vessel with better ventilation — was approved with an amended plan. The ship was approved to sail after the crew recovered from coronavirus and the ship was released from quarantine after cleaning. The application for an exemption focused on heat stress risk mitigation. Mitigations include the removal of heavier sheep that can be less heat tolerant, ensuring wool length of less than 20mm, not loading specific areas of the vessel, and a significantly reduced stocking density. Eleventh-hour efforts by Animals Australia to defer the voyage in the Federal Court failed, and the 12-and-a-half day voyage started on June 19, after loading two days earlier but anchoring at Cockburn sound to allow a storm front and large swells to pass. The vessel has 49 people on board, including an Australian Government-accredited veterinarian, two Australian stock people, and an independent observer.