One of the world’s largest providers of tonnage in live animal transport, Vroon Holding, has announced that it will exit this segment after 60 years of operations.
The company has reached an agreement to sell its subsidiary Livestock Express to the Australian agricultural giant Heytesbury Group.
The deal includes 11 specialized livestock vessels owned by Vroon, the Singapore office, and technical management services. The company said the decision is part of a broader strategy to focus on energy, liquid cargo, infrastructure, and offshore wind energy sectors.
Livestock Express is known as a leading operator in the sector, specializing in modern vessels designed for animal welfare instead of retrofitting older ships. The company transports an average of 600,000–750,000 cattle and sheep annually.
The move is seen as part of a wider contraction in the seaborne live animal export industry. Under pressure from animal rights organizations, Australia has banned sheep exports by sea starting from 2028, while New Zealand has begun introducing similar restrictions. The exit of another major player, Wellard, in 2025 further highlights the rapid decline of the sector.
