Seafarer abandonment cases are soaring, according to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), and the numbers show that we are on track to break last year’s record.
ITF blames the growing problem on shipowners who register vessels in jurisdictions that offer minimal taxes, low labour standards, and secrecy over ownership.
The number of vessel abandonments has surged 33% year-on-year, with 158 cases already recorded by May this year, up from 119 at the same point in 2024, according to new figures released by the ITF.
These cases represent more than 1,501 seafarers who have reached out to the ITF for assistance, many of whom were left unpaid, without food, water or access to ports, often for months at a time.
“Abandonment is a growing, systemic problem,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF general secretary. “Behind every number is a human being who has been failed by the industry and the governments responsible for regulating it. The fact that we’re on track to break last year’s appalling record is a sign that urgent reform is needed.”
The ITF said that in cooperation with its global inspectorate network recovered last year more than $58.1m in unpaid wages for seafarers working on ships running ‘Flag of Convenience’ (FOC) registries. Of that total, $13.5m was returned to abandoned seafarers alone.
So far in 2025, ITF inspectors have helped recover $4.1m for seafarers affected by abandonment. However, with the number of cases climbing sharply, the ITF says it is increasingly concerned by the limits of enforcement.
“We’re dealing with owners who walk away from their obligations, often while sub-standard registers look on and do nothing,” said Steve Trowsdale, head of the ITF inspectorate. “In many cases, it’s impossible to identify the owner, and flag states are either unwilling or unable to act. This is what makes the rise in cases so dangerous – impunity is growing across the board.”
According to the ITF, over 50% of the world fleet is registered today in flag of convenience (FOC) states, with more than 80% of abandoned vessels also registered to FOCs.
“Shipping is the engine of global trade, yet its workers are treated as disposable,” noted Cotton. “We must expose and reform the FOC system. Every vessel must carry a flag that can prove a transparent, traceable link to its true beneficial owner, and regulators must be armed-and willing-to detain and penalise those who walk away from their crews.”
“Only through that genuine link and robust enforcement will we eradicate the scourge of abandonment and build the safe, fair industry seafarers deserve,” Cotton added.
