The MV Bahijah livestock vessel is back in the Port of Fremantle.
The livestock carrier was in the Middle East but ordered to return to Australian shores last week due to tensions in the Red Sea.
It arrived back in WA waters earlier this week and berthed at Fremantle Port on Wednesday before then heading back to anchorage offshore yesterday afternoon.
Early today it returned to port.
Speaking to the media this afternoon, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) secretary Adam Fennesy said the vessel was taking on further provisions, including additional fodder and fuel, and has had animal bedding replaced.
"The exporter's registered veterinarian remains on board and continues to report daily on the health and welfare of the livestock," Mr Fennessy said.
"My department continues to assess the application to re-export the livestock provided by the exporter."
Providing some information on the process, Mr Fennessy said the decision maker had an obligation to consider all relevant information, from a range of sources, on complex issues relating to:
- Export legislation;
- Animal welfare considerations and;
- The requirements of our international trading partners.
"It is a complex process and this is a unique situation," Mr Fennessy said.
"We are doing everything we can to resolve the situation and we will continue to release information and respond to inquiries until that time."
