Stop Live Exports is proud to support the international release of the 2026 Global Livestock Fleet Report — a major new investigation by the Animal Welfare Foundation, Robin des Bois and Tierschutzbund Zürich. Across nearly 500 pages, it examines all 159 livestock carriers operating on the world’s oceans, and the findings are damning.
84% are old cargo ships converted to carry animals. The fleet averages 40 years of age. And for six years running, livestock carriers have been ranked the most dangerous category of ship in the world.
The four-minute report video, produced by the Animal Welfare Foundation, Robin des Bois and Tierschutzbund Zürich.
Tens of millions of animals are shipped across the world’s oceans every year on this ageing, poorly regulated fleet — enduring heat stress, overcrowding, injury and disease, alongside serious risks to crews and the marine environment. Since 1975, at least 10 livestock shipwrecks have claimed 88 crew members and more than 193,000 animals.
Australia has legislated to end live sheep export by sea by 1 May 2028. This report confirms what we have long argued: the cruelty and danger of this trade are not Australia’s alone — they are global. You can read the full 2026 Global Livestock Fleet Report here.
The report’s conclusion is stark:
Live animal transport by sea sits at the intersection of maritime safety, animal welfare, labour standards and environmental protection — and it demands stronger oversight and accountability.
A fleet built for cargo is no place for living animals. Watch the four-minute video above, read the full report, and stand with us as we call on governments everywhere to ban live exports, close the loopholes, and protect animals, people and the ocean.