Kent Action Against Live Exports (KAALE) · By 2040 hrs, transporters Hallisey, Swier and the Scania ‘griffin’ transporters were loaded onto the ‘Joline’. Animal Health were

Sheet 1BAN LIVE ANIMAL EXPORTS

Kent Action Against Live Exports (KAALE).All rights reserved. No part of this publication, including any photographs,

may be reproduced for commercial purposes using any means whatsoever, without prior written permission from KAALE.Contact – Mark Johnson – EU Correspondent and Press / Media; or Valerie Cameron – Official KAALE Photographer.

Kent Action Against Live Exports (KAALE)Patrons:

Carla Lane: http://www.carlalane.com/‘The Black Spurs’: http://www.theblackspurs.com.au/Contents.htm

Maria Daines: http://www.maria-daines.com/

All Photographs by Valerie Cameron

Website: http://www.kaale.org.uk/

Mailing Address: The Sheiling, London Road, Sholden, Deal, Kent, CT14 0AD England; Uk.Newsline: 01304 – 204688

(Newsline normally updated each Sunday evening; more regularly during every shipment as data gathered)Contacts: Chairman: Mr. Ian Birchall – Mobile 07968 134489

EU / Press Officer: Mr. Mark Johnson – Mobile: 07947 997110

Sunday 27th November 2011

‘J42’

KAALE REPORT on the LIVESTOCK SHIPMENT, overnight Wednesday 23rd –Thursday 24th November 2011 from RAMSGATE, KENT UK. to CALAIS, FRANCE.

VESSEL: M. V. JOLINE. Ro-Ro with limited capacity of seven or eight articulatedtransportrs carried on a single, open deck, with very low freeboard and no shelter

from sea spray. Registered in Riga, Latvia.

CONDITIONS: On the night; dry and cold with clear sky and a heavy dew.Sea state slight with very light wind.

PRESENT at Ramsgate:The KAALE monitoring team along with KAALE and TALE members.

Kent police also turned out with, at first, rather authoritarian views on how thissort of activity was going to be policed. After a discussion with KAALE the police

decided that their (KAALE) monitoring team would be allowed to occupy their usualposition outside the dock entrance.

http://www.carlalane.com/

http://www.theblackspurs.com.au/Contents.htm

http://www.maria-daines.com/




TIMED EVENTS

0945 hrs. Vessel ‘Joline’ left Calais on the tide and made the crossing to Ramsgate inroughly four hours. Berthed in Ramsgate port’s berth two around 1430 hrs, where

a low key watch on her was maintained.

1924 hrs. Peter Z, agent for the exporters arrived at the docks in his white van andwas given the usual boisterous welcome.

LIVESTOCK TRANSPORTERS ARRIVING AT RAMSGATE

2003 hrs. (1) Registration: 07 KY 5340. Nationality: IRISH REPUBLIC.Name: HALLISSEY. Red cab with 1 driver and two grey trailers, each filled withsheep in 3 tiers. This registration is 07 = 2007, KY = County Kerry in Ireland.




Above - KAALE Archive Photo - 07 KY 5340 – Hallissey.

2003 hrs. (2) Registration: BRZ 5150. Nationality: NORTHERN IRELAND.Name: WILSON McCURDY. Red cab with 1 driver and red articulated trailer filled

with sheep in 3 tiers.




2003 hrs. (3) Registration: BT JG 68 front / WY 97 ZT rear.Nationality: DUTCH. Name: SWIER veehandel. Dark blue cab with 2 drivers and

double grey trailers filled with sheep in 3 tiers.

KAALE Archive Photo – SWIER

2003 hrs. (4) Registration: BZ HX 63 front / OF 68 RN rear.Nationality: DUTCH. No name displayed. Dark blue Scania cab decorated with a

red and white ‘griffin’ logo; pulling a grey articulated trailer filled with sheep in 3tiers.

KAALE Archive Photos - BZ HX 63 – ‘Griffin’ Scania




2005 hrs. (5) Registration: BT JD 75 front / OB 29 JS rear.Nationality: DUTCH. No name displayed. White cab with grey articulated trailer

(now identified as belonging to J .Onderwater) and carrying sheep in 3 tiers.

2005 hrs. (6) Registration: BN GV 01 front / OD 39 DD rear.Nationality: DUTCH. No name displayed (but also now identified as belonging

to J Onderwater) and carrying sheep in 3 tiers.

KAALE Archive Photo - BN GV 01 – Onderwater.




2101 hrs (7) Registration: BS DL 72 front / WS RV 44 rear.Nationality: DUTCH. Name: SLEEGERS. This particular registration is new to

KAALE; although many other transporters belonging to Sleegers have been noted inprevious shipments. This double transporter arrived considerably later than the

others and sped into the docks. Stinking and crammed with sheep in FOUR tiers indouble trailers.

By 2040 hrs, transporters Hallisey, Swier and the Scania ‘griffin’ transporterswere loaded onto the ‘Joline’.

Animal Health were making some inspections with their newest equipment - an ‘A’frame step ladder; albeit not on wheels, so they had to drag it from place to place.

However, that is a much safer option for them; so now there should be no excuse forthem not undertaking comprehensive studies of the interior of the trailers, as theywill be able to stand on a firm base without the danger of it tilting over whilst they

carry out their duties. Duties which under the current directive is to inspect just 1 in3 transporters, which means that two and a half vehicles out of the seven should

have had attention.

Whilst KAALE monitors are not always able to see these inspections taking placedue to obstructed views and such like, KAALE can confirm that Wilson McCurdy’s

vehicle was inspected at all levels with a torch.




Almost no sooner was the Sleegers transporter in the docks, than it sped onto theship; presumably having had (as requested by KAALE ) an inspection; and

obviously having been given satisfactory clearance from Animal Health as to itssuitability to continue travel, even though the sheep were crammed in all four tiers

and STINKING.

With transporters already loaded on either side of the ship’s deck, the SLEEGERSdouble then reversed onto the ‘Joline’ in the space between them. It parked with the

rear door of the drawbar trailer HARD UP AGAINST the stern door of the ship,LEAVING ABSOLUTELY NO ACCESS AT ALL TO THE REAR DOORS OF THE

(drawbar) TRAILER IN THE EVENT OF NEED.

2139 hrs. Wilson McCurdy, the last to load, began to reverse onto the ‘Joline’ in thelast space left on deck; right at the bow of the ship between transporters (Nos 4 & 6).

The bow door began to lift; however, a miscalculation by the ship’s master thenbecame obvious. Whoops !




THE BOW DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY DUE TO FACT THAT THE CABUNIT OF WILSON McCURDY VEHICLE STUCK OUT TOO MUCH.

It was obvious that the ship could not sail with her bow door not closed.THEREFORE, AND WITH NO DISCUSSION, THE CAB UNIT (Tractor) OF WILSON

McCURDY, COMPLETE WITH THE SINGLE DRIVER / Qualified stockman,uncoupled itself from its trailer and drove back off the ship, parking briefly on thequay, leaving the detached trailer and the sheep carried contained therein on the

deck of the ‘Joline’.

Next Stop – Dover, and a Fast Ferry to Calais !




2154 hrs. The bow door of vessel ‘Joline’ was raised again and closed. Whilst KAALEmade yet another complaint to Animal Health regarding the abandonment of

livestock by their supposedly qualified stockmen hauliers, the ‘Joline’ slipped out ofberth two in Ramsgate and left the port just around 2200 hrs.

Animal Health’s reply, when it came, was along the lines of - the drivers do not needto be present to make sure that there are enough facilities on the trailers for the

animals carried, as said trailers have a four hour back-up (supposedly supplied bybattery) to facilitate water to be available, when the cab unit (Tractor) is detached

from, or not coupled with the trailer. Should KAALE then assume this is also thecase that when lorries have their engines switched off, this ‘back up’ swings into

action ?? According to A.H, it does, and as far as they are concerned, according tocurrent legislation this is all fine and dandy.




KAALE would like to point out that we have raised this issue many times and this isthe first time Animal Health have come up with this answer, which maybe was

found in the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet in the basement in an office on UrsaMinor maybe (with apologies to Douglas Adams).

As vessel ‘Joline’ slipped out of port, Wilson McCurdy’s cab unit was observedspeeding out of Ramsgate docks, no doubt heading for Dover harbour and a channel

ferry for Calais; or possibly even the channel tunnel. Anything which would gethim to Calais ahead of the ‘Joline’, as his immobile trailer could not move until he

arrived to take it off the ship, thereby allowing space for the rest of the transportersto unload.

Agent Peter Z also left the docks shortly after McCurdy, with both having been givena vociferous send off.

Issues with this shipment: The greed, yet again, of the exporters in trying to cramtoo many trailers onto too small a ship; compromising, in our opinio, the welfare ofthe livestock carried. If as Animal Health say, there is a four hour back up plan for

trailer facilities to continue operating when not connected to their tractor units,would Animal Health now like to comment on the fact that after leaving Ramsgate

the ‘Joline’ did not unload at Calais until five hours had elapsed.Is there a back up plan for the back up plan ??

This is KAALE report ‘J42’ compiled Thursday 24th November 2011.Distributed Sunday 27th November 2011.

Kent Action Against Live Exports (KAALE)

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Kent Action Against Live Exports (KAALE) · By 2040 hrs, transporters Hallisey, Swier and the Scania ‘griffin’ transporters were loaded onto the ‘Joline’. Animal Health were