Seafarer Abandonment Surges 87% in 2024: ITF Calls for Urgent Action

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) recently released alarming data showing an 87% increase in the abandonment of seafarers by ship-owners in 2024 compared to the previous year. This spike in abandonment cases has nearly doubled, with 3,133 seafarers left stranded by ship-owners in 2024, up from 1,676 in 2023. The number of vessels abandoned also saw a significant rise, with 312 ships left deserted in 2024 compared to 132 in 2023. Some ships were reported multiple times for abandoning crews, highlighting a troubling trend in the maritime industry.

Seafarers who are abandoned face dire conditions, including months of unpaid wages, inadequate food and water, and long periods of work without rest. The ITF notes that some seafarers are left completely stranded for months or even years. This mistreatment of seafarers, who are essential to global trade, is a betrayal by unscrupulous ship-owners who act with impunity, unchecked by governments and international regulators. Steve Trowsdale, ITF Global Inspectorate Coordinator, condemned this exploitation of key workers in global trade.

The data also revealed specific regions where vessel abandonments were most prevalent in 2024. The United Arab Emirates and Panama were among the top Port and Flag States for abandonments, with significant cases also reported in Türkiye, Palau, Tanzania, Comoros, Cameroon, and Bahrain. The rise in reported cases of seafarer abandonment sheds light on the exploitative practices within the maritime industry. ITF’s General Secretary, Stephen Cotton, emphasized the need for better regulation, enforcement, and accountability from governments to address these abuses of labor and human rights.

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