Gulf Livestock 1

Gulf Livestock 1
History
Gulf Livestock 1 in 2016, then named Rahmeh
Name	Maersk Waterford (2002–2006) Dana Hollandia (2006–2012) Cetus J. (2012–2015) Rahmeh (2015–2019) Gulf Livestock 1 (2019–2020)
Owner	Gulf Navigation Holding
Builder	Hegemann Rolandwerft, Berne, Germany
Laid down	4 April 2002
Launched	20 September 2002
Completed	9 December 2002
In service	9 December 2002
Out of service	2 September 2020
Identification	IMO number: 9262883
Fate	Lost at sea with 41 human lives and 5,867 cattle lost; 2 survivors, on 2 September 2020 during Typhoon Maysak
General characteristics
Type	Container ship (2002–2015) Livestock carrier (2015–2020)
Tonnage	6,370 GT 8,372 DWT
Length	133.6 m (438 ft 4 in)
Beam	19.4 m (63 ft 8 in)
Propulsion	1x propeller
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Crew	43

Gulf Livestock 1 was a Panamanian-registered livestock carrier which sank 100 nautical miles (185 km) west of Amami Ōshima Island in southwest Japan on 2 September 2020 due to Typhoon Maysak.^[1]

The ship was constructed as a container ship named Maersk Waterford by the Hegemann Roland shipyard in Berne, Germany.^[2] Her keel was laid on 4 April 2002, she was launched on 20 September, and was delivered on 9 December.^[2] She was renamed Dana Hollandia in 2006, Cetus J. in 2012, and in 2015 was converted to a livestock carrier named Rahmeh.^[2] In 2019, she was renamed for the last time to Gulf Livestock 1.^[2] She had a gross tonnage of 6,370 GT and a deadweight tonnage of 8,372 DWT.^[2] She measured 133.6 metres (438 ft 4 in) long, with a beam of 19.4 metres (63 ft 8 in), and was powered by a single diesel engine that gave her a speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph).^[2]

Final voyage

On her final voyage, Gulf Livestock 1 was carrying a cargo of 5,867 live cattle, and was owned by the UAE-based Gulf Navigation Holding shipping company.^[3] The vessel left Napier, New Zealand on 14 August, and was scheduled to arrive in the Port of Jingtang, Tangshan China on 3 September 2020.^[4]

The ship sent a distress signal from the East China Sea west of the Japanese island of Amami Ōshima on 2 September 2020 at 1:40 am JST (4:40 pm 1 September UTC).^[1]^[5] The first survivor recovered reported that the ship's sole main propulsion engine failed during rough seas caused by Typhoon Maysak, and the vessel later capsized after being struck by a wave.^[3] Before the ship capsized, the 34-year old Filipino ship captain was also able to tell his wife via instant messages that the worsening of the typhoon had caused the ship's engine to fail.^[6]

There were 43 crew members on board, 39 from the Philippines, two from New Zealand and two from Australia.^[4] The missing Australians were reported to have been an equine veterinarian and a stock handler.^[5] One of the New Zealanders was a stock handler and wilderness hunter guide named Lochie Bellerby.

On 2 September, one crew member, a 45-year-old Filipino chief officer, was rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard.^[1] On 4 September, a second crew member was found unresponsive in the water by the Coast Guard and died shortly after being rescued.^[7] In the same area, several cattle carcasses and a life vest were also recovered.^[8] A second survivor, a 30-year-old Filipino deckhand in a life raft, was rescued on the afternoon of 4 September just after 4:00 pm.^[7] On 9 September, the Coast Guard suspended the search for survivors.^[9] The tragedy led New Zealand to reconsider the exports of livestock by sea.^[10]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "One rescued from sea, Kiwis still missing after live export ship that left Napier for China capsizes in storm". NZ Herald. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Gulf Livestock 1 (9262883)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Cargo ship with 43 crew and nearly 6,000 cattle sank off Japan, survivor says". The Guardian. 3 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Japanese coast guard looking for live export ship with 43 crew, thousands of cattle, missing during Typhoon Maysak". ABC News. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b Loomes, Phoebe; Khalil, Shireen (4 September 2020). "Australians caught on missing Gulf Livestock 1 ship after typhoon in Japan". news.com.au. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
^ Lema, Karen; Blaza, Peter (5 September 2020). "'I am praying': captain's texts tell of ordeal of capsized cattle ship". Reuters. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b Sturmer, Jake (4 September 2020). "Japanese rescue crews find another survivor from missing live export ship". ABC News. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
^ "Japan coastguard says second person found from capsized cattle ship has died". The Guardian. 4 September 2020.
^ "MPI launches independent review into livestock shipments after Gulf Livestock 1 tragedy". Radio New Zealand. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
^ https://www.newsendip.com/new-zealand-sends-its-last-live-cattle-shipments-to-china-before-a-ban-takes-effect/