The transport of live animals by sea for fattening or slaughter raises serious welfare concerns, with animals enduring days to weeks at sea in conditions that cause significant suffering.
Sea transport causes cumulative suffering through multiple stressors: unfamiliar surroundings, social disruption, restricted movement, heat, humidity, and the stress of ship movement. Disease spreads rapidly in crowded conditions - outbreaks have killed thousands of animals on single voyages. Emergency gassing of sick animals at sea has been documented. The UK ban was a welfare milestone, but billions of animals globally remain subject to long-distance live export with inadequate welfare standards.