Since the beginning of 2025, 2,286 crew members of 222 ships have been involved
This year, the number of seafarers abandoned on board their ships. This was denounced by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) which today presented the latest data on this a phenomenon that since the beginning of 2025 has recorded the abandonment of 2,286 seafarers on 222 ships, with 13.1million in non−paid and an increase of+3013.1million in non−paid and an increase of+3011.5 million of unpaid wages.
The union has reported that an astonishing 37% of all cases of abandonment that have occurred so far in 2025 in the Arab world, the highest percentage globally. 34% occurred in Europe (most of them in Turkey, which has not yet ratified the Labour Convention more than double the share of Asia-Pacific, the second region with the highest percentage.
By urging the Arabian Gulf States, in particular the United Arab Emirates, and European states to do more to shipowners responsible for cases of abandonment and for prevent this phenomenon from happening again in their ports or Steve Trowsdale, coordinator of the ITF Inspectorate, highlighted that “in recent years, the Gulf region, and in particular the United Arab Emirates, has seen a huge increase of cases of abandonment of seafarers. Both there and in Europe – he urged – much more needs to be done to repress the dishonest shipowners who must know that there will be consequences. Every single case of abandonment is a shame. It is a intentional abuse of human rights and the failure to put End to dropouts highlights a systemic problem in the sector maritime”.
ITF also pointed out that the phenomenon of dropouts of seafarers is strongly linked to the flag system ships registered in States with flags of convenience such as St. Kitts and Nevis (26), Tanzania (26) and Comoros (18) dominating the lists of cases of abandonment. These flags – denounced the – offer shipowners anonymity, deregulation and exemption from controls to the direct detriment of seafarers’ rights. Almost 75% of abandoned ships in 2025 are currently under these flags. “The system of flags of convenience – said Trowsdale – it is parasitic for the industry maritime. Allows owners to hide behind frontal jurisdictions while seafarers are abandoned on rusty hulls. And when countries allow these crimes turning a blind eye – or worse, profiting from it – they become accomplices”. “It is necessary – he concluded – to take on their responsibilities. If we allow this exploitation, we destroy the very workforce from which global trade depends.”
