Animal activists block livestock ship

Animal rights activists in kayaks barred a livestock carrier from docking at an Australian port today, in protest at the stranding of more than 50,000 sheep on a ship in the Middle East.

The Al Kuwait had been due to dock at Portland port in Victoria state to load sheep, but it was prevented by members of the Australian Greens Party and Animal Liberation activists in a flotilla of small boats.

The group of about 50 vowed to stay in the port indefinitely to prevent the ship from coming in.

“We will try to stop it again,” Animal Liberation spokesman Mark Pearson said. “We’ll be here for quite some time ... it’s basically a standoff.”

But Port of Portland marketing manager Peter Klein said the Al Kuwait would probably be brought in later today.

“We’re talking with the protesters, just assessing what their intentions are,” Klein said. “Once we believe it will be safe to bring the vessel in we will do so.”

The protest comes as more than 50,000 sheep from Australia remain stranded aboard the MV Cormo Express in the Persian Gulf, after being rejected by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.

The sheep had been bought by a Saudi importer, but Saudi officials said 6% of the 57,000 animals were infected with scabby mouth disease – more than the government allowed.

Since then, the sheep have been at sea for more than seven weeks, and about 3,770 of them have died.