Ship abandonments increased by 11% last year, with some shipowners treating seafarers like modern-day slaves, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) says.
Abandonments reached 132 in 2023 — 12 more than the previous year — leaving hundreds of seafarers owed wages of more than $12m.
Seafarers have been abandoned if the shipowner fails to cover the cost of repatriation, leaves them without maintenance and support, or unilaterally severs ties, including by failing to pay wages for at least two months, the union said.
Indian seafarers were the most affected, representing 400 of nearly 1,700 people who contacted the union.
Throw-away commodity
ITF inspectorate coordinator Steve Trowsdale said: “The ongoing rise in the number of seafarer abandonments is unacceptable.
“It is a consequence of an industry where the seafarer can be a throwaway commodity.”
He said shipowners were trying to “get away with treating seafarers like some sort of modern-day slaves”.
Panama topped the list of abandonments by flag states with 23, followed by Palau (12) and Cameroon (11), according to ITF data. Eight of the abandoned ships had unknown flag status.
The new leader of the International Maritime Organization, Arsenio Dominguez, a Panamanian, has promised to be vigorous campaigner for seafarers during his four-year term.
Four of the registries highlighted by the ITF — Cameroon, Comoros, Tanzania and Togo — are on the Paris MoU’s black list for poor maintenance and safety performance. The other three — Panama, Palau and St Kitts & Nevis — are grey-listed.
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