Protesters gather as live animal export ship prepares to leave Napier

About 14 people gathered outside Napier Port on Sunday morning to protest the loading of 6000 cattle on a live animal export ship bound for China. Photo / Paul Taylor

About a dozen animal rights advocates protested the loading of a live export ship at Napier Port on Sunday - the eighth such vessel to arrive in port this year.

The Dareen arrived in Napier Port on Saturday morning for the loading of 6000 cattle bound for China.

Protest organiser Caz Pettersson said there was a great turnout with about 14 protesters from a diverse range of backgrounds.

"We got so many toots today - it was incredible."

She said the practice of exporting animals for live export overseas was not supported by the local community.

"It just didn't seem right that cows were going on boats to China to live in concrete warehouses for the rest of their lives.

"The community doesn't like it either."

Protest organiser Caz Pettersson said the practice of exporting animals for live export overseas was not supported by the local community. Photo / Paul Taylor

She said the group hoped to see the practice stopped, "even if it's just at a local level", and would continue working on the issue "behind the scenes" in the New Year.

"We'd like for the farmers supplying the animals to stop," she said.

A ban on live exports was temporarily introduced after the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized in the East China Sea on September 2, with 41 crew and 6000 New Zealand cattle on board.

The ban expired on October 23 but a "conditional prohibition" remained in place until the end of November when the Ministry for Primary Industries was to have discretion to consider applications for Animal Welfare Export Certificate (AWEC) applications for livestock exports.

The Dareen was expected to depart on Sunday afternoon.