Plans are currently being finalised to introduce a custom-built livestock carrier boat in spring 2025 that will have the initial capacity to bring 5,000 calves/sailing to key market destinations for Irish calves on mainland Europe.
The boat is co-owned by an Irish company and a Danish-based company and will initially bring calves from Ireland to the Netherlands for approximately 10 weeks in the spring before taking adult cattle on sea journeys to market destinations for the remainder of the year.
It is planned that the boat will sail from Waterford Port to a port in the Netherlands where the calves will be unloaded and taken to the customer farms.
The round trip from loading in Ireland to the boat returning to the port in Ireland will take approximately one week with a one day allowance for loading, a two day allowance for sailing and a one day allowance for unloading before the boat is washed and makes the return journey back to the port in Waterford.
There are six decks on the boat and the proposal is to install milk-feeding stations on each deck with a pipe bringing milk to each pen of calves allowing each calf to be fed milk for the duration of the journey.
Calves will be group penned with approximately 20-30 calves in each group. There will also be a designated number of staff on each deck to monitor the calves for the duration of the journey.
It is understood the proposed new means of transport is a more-expensive method than the truck and ferry method but has the advantage of allowing calves to be fed while making the sea journey. This will help Irish calves to meet the new Dutch ‘Veal Forward‘ Plan market requirements.
Industry sources have expressed concern on the feasibility of the new transport method but acknowledged that the alternative transport method for Irish calves to key EU markets “would guarantee a release valve and take pressure of ferry sailings”.
The number of Irish calves exported in spring 2023 peaked at 15,000/week and with the new means of transport bringing calves to key EU markets, this could well increase on last year.
Currently, most calves that make the journey from Ireland to mainland Europe travel on custom-built livestock lorries that make the sea crossing on a ferry.
Calves are then unloaded on arrival to mainland Europe where they are fed at custom-built lairages before continuing their journey to their market destination.
The planned new boat for spring 2025 would see calves walk on board at the port in Ireland where they will be penned in groups and can be fed milk for the duration of their journey.