Two ships that regularly carry livestock from Ireland to the Middle East and North Africa have had their licences revoked over their operator’s low performance rating.
According to The Guardian, it emerged that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) was unaware that the operator of the Atlantic M and the Express 1 had a rating below required standards until it was alerted by welfare organisation Ethical Farming Ireland.
Emiroglu Deniz Nakliyati, the Turkish operator of the two vessels, was rated as “low or very low” in the European Maritime Safety Agency’s performance tables of Port State Control.
The situation has now prompted questions over monitoring of the livestock export fleet. Bord Bia figures show agri-food exports account for a tenth of Ireland’s total exports.
The Guardian has much more on the story HERE.
