• ITF warns of global crisis as abandonments surge by 87 per cent
New data from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has highlighted a disturbing rise in seafarers and vessel abandonment by ship owners, with Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific leading the trend in 2024.

According to the ITF report submitted to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), 3,133 seafarers were abandoned by ship owners in 2024, a stark increase from the 1,676 cases recorded in 2023.

The number of abandoned vessels also rose dramatically, with 312 ships left behind last year, compared to just 132 in 2023, reflecting a 136 per cent increase.

The report further revealed that 28 ships were responsible for abandoning multiple crews in the same year.

Notably, three vessels were reported for abandoning crews three times, while 25 ships were implicated in two separate incidents.

General cargo ships accounted for 30 per cent of all abandoned vessels, with 93 reported cases.

The ITF’s 2024 findings showed that the Middle East recorded 108 abandonment incidents, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) leading the region with 42 cases.

In Europe, 74 incidents were reported, with Türkiye topping the list at 25, while in the Asia Pacific, India had the highest number of abandonment cases, with 13 out of 62 incidents.

Africa saw 34 abandonments, with Djibouti emerging as a frequent hotspot with nine incidents.

Latin America and the Caribbean recorded 19 incidents, with Brazil leading at five, while North America, though with fewer cases, reported eight incidents, six of which occurred in the United States.

The 87 per cent increase in seafarer abandonment between 2023 and 2024, coupled with the exploitation and inhumane treatment faced by these workers, has raised alarm about the future of the shipping workforce.

According to the ITF, seafarers are collectively owed $20.1 million in unpaid wages, with $10.4 million recovered to date.

The report pointed to the failure of the “Flags of Convenience” system as a key driver of this crisis.

It noted that 90 per cent of abandoned vessels in 2024 were registered under such flags as Panama led the list with 43 abandonments, followed by Palau (37), Tanzania (30), Comoros (29), Cameroon (20), and Bahrain (16).

Alarmingly, the report stated that 20 cases involved vessels with no identifiable flag, more than doubling the previous year’s number in this category.

The report detailed the severe conditions faced by abandoned seafarers, including months of unpaid wages, inadequate food and drinking water, substandard living conditions, and long work hours without proper rest.

The ITF Global Inspectorate Coordinator, Steve Trowsdale , pointed out several factors contributing to the abandonment crisis, noting that in some instances, seafarers have been stranded for years.

Trowsdale highlighted them to include the lack of enforcement from flag and port states, insufficient vessel insurance and shipowners’ denial of mistreating their crew.

Trowsdale lamented that 2024 had been the worst year on record for seafarer abandonment, underscoring that with 90 per cent of global trade dependent on maritime transport, seafarers are the backbone of the industry.

“It’s an absolute disgrace that unscrupulous ship-owners are abandoning so many crews with impunity, supported by governments and international regulators. This is nothing less than a betrayal of the key workers of global trade,” Trowsdale said.

Trowsdale shared the harrowing experience of an Indian seafarer stranded on a tugboat for 15 of the 29 months he had been onboard without pay.

The seafarer, owed around $40,000, had witnessed three different crews come and go, all of whom left without compensation.

According to the ITF report, Indian seafarers remain the largest group affected, with 899 cases of abandonment reported in 2024, followed by 410 Syrians, 288 Ukrainians, 273 Filipinos and 192 Indonesians.

The ITF General Secretary, Stephen Cotton, condemned the rise in abandonment cases, describing it as a reflection of the maritime industry’s reliance on exploitative practices and lack of regulation.

Cotton highlighted better regulation, enforcement and accountability from governments, noting that seafarers have had enough of being treated like slaves.

Cotton also addressed the growing influence of Dubai as a maritime hub, attracting ship owners, brokers, and companies with its tax incentives and streamlined customs procedures.

He warned, however, that the lack of regulation in the region is contributing to more seafarers being left stranded, with vessels owned or managed by companies responsible for a large proportion of abandonment cases.