New data from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) reveals abandonment of seafarers by ship-owners increased by 87% in 2024 from the previous year.
The abandonment of seafarers is spiralling out of control, increasing nearly two-fold with 3,133 seafarers abandoned by ship-owners in 2024 compared to 1,676 in 2023.
A total 312 vessels were abandoned last year compared to 132 vessels in 2023 – a staggering 136% increase. Twenty-eight ships were also responsible for abandoning multiple crews in the same year, with three vessels reported three times and 25 reported twice.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the Port State of choice for vessel abandonments, accounting for 42 in 2024 (the second-highest port state for abandonment was Türkiye with 25 vessels). Dubai has become one of the fastest growing hubs for the maritime industry over the last five years. Lower taxes, cost of living and housing are proving attractive to ship owners, brokers and managers, shipping banks, shipping lawyers, and freight traders alike.
An ITF report, submitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), details the skyrocketing increase in the reported abandonment, and highlights the failure of the Flags of Convenience’ system that is central to ongoing impunity for abuses of seafarers’ rights.
Ninety percent of abandoned vessels in 2024 sailed under a flag of convenience. While Panama remains the flag with the most abandonments (43), there are a number of other flag states with a stark increase in cases. Palau (37), Tanzania (30), Comoros (29), Cameroon (20) and Bahrain (16) all recorded double figures in 2024. Alarmingly, twenty cases were reported on vessels on which there was no flag, or a flag could not be identified, more than doubling the number of cases in this category.
Abandoned seafarers can experience months of unpaid wages, extremely poor on-board conditions, inadequate food and clean drinking water, and long periods of work without proper rest. In some cases, they are left completely stranded for months – even years – on end.
The lack of enforcement and responsiveness from flag and port states, the lack of insurance for vessels, and shipowners refusing to accept that they are mistreating their crew are common factors that contribute to abandonment and complicate the resolution of cases.
Steve Trowsdale, ITF Global Inspectorate Coordinator, said: “2024 was the worst year on record for seafarer abandonment. 90% of global trade takes place through maritime transport and seafarers are the backbone of this industry. It’s an absolute disgrace that unscrupulous ship-owners are abandoning so many crews with impunity by governments and international regulators. This is nothing less than a betrayal of the key workers of global trade.”
(ITF photo of abandoned crew off Bangladesh)