Ocean Shearer prepares for Middle East sheep journey

About 60,000 sheep will set sail from Fremantle en route to the Middle East this week.

Rural Export and Trading WA will load about 60,000 sheep and 700 cattle onto the Ocean Shearer, which is planned to depart Fremantle Port on Friday.

It will be bound for Arabian Gulf ports, RETWA boss Mike Gordon confirmed.

RETWA is the Perth-based subsidiary of juggernaut Kuwaiti exporter, Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading.

The shipment comes as the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment is expected to this month announce the preferred shipping option for the approaching northern hemisphere summer.

A department spokesman said it was working with Government to “make an announcement shortly”.

Read more live sheep trade news in this Thursday’s Countryman.