New figures released by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) expose a deeply concerning and unprecedented surge in the abandonment of seafarers worldwide. So far in 2025, a staggering 2,286 seafarers on 222 vessels have been left stranded, often without pay, food, or critical medical support. This alarming statistic represents a significant escalation compared to the same period in 2024, which was already the worst year on record, with 172 cases affecting 1,838 seafarers and $11.5 million in unpaid wages.
The data reveals disturbing regional hotspots for these human rights abuses. The Arab World accounts for a staggering 37% of all abandonment cases in 2025, marking the highest proportion globally. Europe follows closely with 34% of cases, primarily concentrated in Turkiye, a nation yet to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention. This figure is more than double the share seen in the Asia Pacific region, the next highest.
The ITF is issuing a stern warning to Gulf states, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and European nations, urging them to intensify efforts to hold rogue shipowners accountable and prevent further abandonments in or near their ports.
“We are witnessing a pattern of abuse that can no longer be ignored and must be confronted head-on,” stated Steve Trowsdale, the ITF’s Inspectorate Coordinator. “In recent years, the Gulf region, and the UAE specifically, has seen a dramatic increase in seafarer abandonment cases. Both there and in Europe, much more must be done to crack down on the unscrupulous shipowners who need to understand there will be severe consequences for their actions. Every single case of abandonment is a disgrace. It’s an intentional abuse of human rights, and the persistent failure to end abandonment exposes a systemic problem at the core of the maritime industry.”
Flags of Convenience Under Scrutiny as Key Enabler of Abuse
‘Abandonment’ is defined under international law, encompassing situations where seafarers are denied pay for two months or more, or are left stranded without essential provisions. The ITF’s figures unequivocally highlight the structural enablers of this crisis, with the Flags of Convenience (FOC) system remaining central to the problem. Vessels registered under FOC states, such as St. Kitts & Nevis (26 cases), Tanzania (26 cases), and Comoros (18 cases), overwhelmingly dominate the abandonment lists. These flags provide owners with anonymity, deregulation, and immunity from scrutiny – directly at the expense of seafarer rights and welfare.
Nearly 75% of all abandoned vessels in 2025 so far operate under FOCs. These flag states consistently fail to enforce international obligations or pursue shipowners who shirk their responsibilities at the first sign of financial distress.
“The Flags of Convenience system is parasitic on the maritime industry,” added Trowsdale. “It allows shipowners to hide behind paper jurisdictions while seafarers are left abandoned on rusting hulls. And when countries enable these crimes by looking the other way – or worse, profiting from them – they become complicit in this exploitation.”
ITF Demands Urgent Accountability to Protect Seafarers and Global Trade
The ITF is urgently calling on international regulators, port states, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to take decisive action. With global trade fundamentally reliant on the dedication of seafarers, the ITF warns that continued inaction not only threatens human lives but also undermines the integrity of the entire shipping industry – an industry already grappling with a severe recruitment and retention crisis.
Common contributing factors to abandonment include a critical lack of enforcement and responsiveness from flag and port states, the absence of adequate insurance for vessels, and shipowners’ blatant refusal to accept responsibility for crew welfare. These failures are not merely administrative oversights; they actively enable an industry where seafarers are callously discarded when no longer convenient.
“There must be accountability. If we allow this exploitation to continue, we destroy the very workforce global trade depends on,” Trowsdale concluded.
