Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Cetus-Cachalot

On July 24, 2019, the cargo ship 'Venture Pearl' reached Tauranga, New Zealand, after a controversial eight-week journey carrying 55,000 tonnes of phosphate mined from Western Sahara. Activists have claimed that the vessel disguised its true destination during its voyage. This shipment of phosphate, which is intended to be converted into superphosphate for agricultural use across New Zealand, has drawn criticism due to the ongoing dispute surrounding its origin. Ships transporting phosphate from occupied Western Sahara typically navigate elaborate routes to avoid legal complications with African nations that deem the product as stolen. Additionally, the 'Venture Pearl' circumvented the Panama Canal to avoid further scrutiny. The Polisario Front, the liberation movement advocating for Western Sahara’s independence, has been monitoring the 'Venture Pearl' since it departed from El-Aiun, its port, in early June. Initially, the ship appeared to be heading towards South America, with a stop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before sailing around Cape Horn. Days before its anticipated arrival in Tauranga, the ship altered its declared destination from China to New Zealand, complicating matters further. According to records, the cargo was labeled as fertilizer, raising further questions about transparency surrounding the shipment. For more details and associated imagery, click here: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/114476208/phosphate-ship-the-venture-pearl-arrives-in-tauranga-after-allegedly-hiding-its-destination.