This news spread around the world because it was so unusual, and now the situation is heading towards an outcome, although not the most favorable: a Togolese flag ship carrying nearly three thousand Uruguayan cows is stranded in a port in Turkey. He has already returned to Montevideo. The cargo ship left the Sea of Marmara, where it was anchored, during the past few hours, and is now entering the Mediterranean Sea.
On Friday, the authorities of Türkiye and Uruguay held a virtual meeting to settle the status of the ship, which has been unable to dock since the end of October. There was no agreement. Animal organizations raised a cry: “The cows may not arrive alive.”
The Spyridon 2, a huge 50-year-old cargo ship, sailed on Friday, September 19, from the port of Montevideo in Uruguay, to a port on the Sea of Marmara in Turkey. On board, in addition to his crew, were 2901 Uruguayan cows Which was heading to that Middle Eastern country. Exactly 32 days later, on October 21, the ship Spyridon 2 reached the vicinity of the port of Bandirma in Marmara, and sank at anchor 12 kilometers from that port; To more than 100 from Istanbul, for reference.
Since Tuesday, October 21, the cows have been stranded for 25 days until this Saturday. They were to be fattened and raised on Turkish farms. But the local authorities prevented them from disembarking, as not all of them had the required veterinary certificate. Although the vast majority of cows came with all data in order, 469 animals were not properly certified. According to the court ruling in Türkiye, there were also 146 animals with microchips or illegible tags, and another 58 animals died during the overseas trip.
In Uruguay, they claimed there was a dispute between two companies, the Uruguayan exporter and the Turkish importer. “From a health point of view, everything is correct,” explained Marcelo Rodriguez, director of livestock services at Uruguay’s Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries.
In both cases, the ship, as identified by local media, became A “Floating grave.”
On Friday, a meeting was held between representatives of the two governments and no agreement was reached, so it was decided that the ship Spyridon 2 would weigh its anchors and leave the vicinity of the port of Bandirma.
Now you have to make the same journey, but in the opposite direction. The cows must return to their original habitat.
The journey began on Saturday, when at night (local time, late in Buenos Aires and Montevideo time), the cargo ship had already crossed the Dardanelles Strait, opening the way for ships to the Aegean Sea, which after passing the islands of Greece leads to the Mediterranean Sea.
However, the outlook is doubly bleak. In addition to the fact that no commercial agreement has been reached between the Turkish and Uruguayan companies and the government agents involved, it is certain that there is not enough food on Spiridon II to feed the livestock during the return journey. This was reported by the Animal Welfare Foundation.
“We noticed that the ship doesn’t carry enough food. It does It is very difficult for animals to reach Uruguay alive“They will most likely be thrown overboard on the high seas,” said Maria Boada Saña, of that foundation.
In addition, other types of disagreements have already been reported. During the time that the Togolese-flagged cargo ship was anchored kilometers from the port of Bandirma, there were approximately 140 requests to give birth to calves on board All of the cows gave birth to pregnant women, although many of those calves died due to the unsanitary conditions.
Spyridon II of Uruguay
Uruguayan Jerry Donor
2901 Haifandan (çoğunluk gebe inek) 58’i öldü
140’ı doğum yaptı
Buzağıların 50 si moanide, 90’ı kayıp, beüyük ihtimalle sıkışık Padoklarda ezildiler.
I can’t do this with you…
Here you go again! pic.twitter.com/WFcdNGqzDf– Animal Save Türkiye (@AnimalSaveTR) November 15, 2025
Along these lines, shortly after the ship departed from Uruguay, Fernando Fernandez, an exporter from Ganosan Livestock, the company that organized the export, mentioned on an agricultural podcast that nearly half of the livestock aboard Spiridon II were pregnant cows.
The Animal Welfare Foundation reports that the ship Spiridon II (formerly called Mikhail Cheremnykh) is currently sailing under the Togolese flag and was built in Finland in 1973.
Between 2021 and 2024, a total of 84 defects were discovered in the cargo ship, and the ship was detained once (nine times in its entire operational history).
Until June 2024, the transport of animals is allowed in Spain. Since then, according to official records, he has not been allowed to transport animals in Europe. According to the Paris Memorandum of Understanding, this is Black flag shipwhich means that it represents a High risk to animals on boardCrew and marine safety.
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