More than 15,000 cattle and sheep remain on a livestock carrier ordered to return to Australia after rerouting away from the Red Sea.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp reported a stalemate between the exporter and the federal government regarding the 7,850-dwt Bahijah (built 2010) at the port of Fremantle, Western Australia.

The Israeli-controlled ship was told to head back to Australia last week after it diverted to South Africa instead of heading to Aqaba in Jordan, due to the security situation in the Red Sea.