Cases of vessel abandonment have surged nearly 33%, according to the latest data released by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) recently.
By May this year, 158 cases of vessel abandonment had been recorded, up from 119 at the same point in 2024, the ITF said.
In its latest report on the ongoing crisis facing seafarers, the ITF found that abandonment cases represented more than 1 501 seafarers who have reached out to the federation for assistance.
Many of them were left unpaid and without food, water or access to ports – often for months at a time.
“Abandonment is a growing, systemic problem,” ITF general secretary Stephen Cotton said.
“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.”
In 2024, the ITF and its global network of inspectors recovered more than US$58.1 million in unpaid wages for seafarers working on ships running Flag of Convenience (FOC) registries that offer minimal oversight and have become a haven for exploitative shipping practices.
Of that total, US$13.5 million was returned to abandoned seafarers.
ITF said its inspectors, in 2025, have already helped recover US$4.1 million for seafarers affected by abandonment. But, as the number of cases climb, the federation said it is increasingly concerned about 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.”
In response to growing concerns, the ITF has added Tuvalu and Guinea-Bissau to its longstanding FOC list, bringing the total number of countries on the list to 45. Both countries are linked to so-called shadow fleets transporting sanctioned oil and evading regulatory scrutiny.
FOC states allow ship owners to register vessels in jurisdictions that offer minimal taxes, low labour standards and secrecy about ownership. This means seafarers on FOC ships face low wages, long hours and unsafe working conditions.
ITF added that more than 50% of the world fleet is registered in FOC states with more than 80% of abandoned vessels registered to FOCs. It said the system has enabled unscrupulous individuals to profit while leaving seafarers vulnerable to exploitation.
“Shipping is the engine of global trade yet its workers are treated as disposable,” Cotton said.
“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,” he said.
“Only through that genuine link and robust enforcement will we eradicate the scourge of abandonment and build the safe, fair industry seafarers deserve.”
The ITF’s FOC list can be found here.
