The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) announced that in 2025, cases of seafarers abandoning their ships reached record levels, both in terms of the number of vessels and the affected crew members. Accordingly, the number of abandoned ships marked the sixth consecutive year of increase, while the number of abandoned seafarers set a record for the fourth consecutive year.

The ITF described this situation as 'shameful,' emphasizing that ship abandonments have now become a systemic issue within the maritime sector.

6,233 seafarers abandoned on 410 ships

According to ITF data, in 2025:

A total of 6,233 seafarers abandoned 410 ships.

Ship abandonments increased by 31% compared to 2024, while the number of affected crew members rose by 32%.

The total amount of unpaid wages and entitlements for seafarers was recorded at $25.8 million.

The ITF managed to recover

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6.5 million of this amount.

'This is not just a number; it is human life.'

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton emphasized the humanitarian aspect of the issue, stating:

'2025 was yet another extremely bad year for ship abandonments. This is not just about statistics. These are people who keep global trade afloat. They are left thousands of kilometers away from their homes in desperate conditions, and often there is no solution in sight.'

Cotton called on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to demand stronger coordination and authority in preventing ship abandonments.

The worst situation is in the Middle East and Europe

According to the report, the regions where ship abandonments are most prevalent include:

By country, the highest number of abandonment cases are:

Turkey: 61 ships

United Arab Emirates: 54 ships

The ITF noted that loosely regulated registries, referred to as 'flags of convenience,' accounted for 82% of the cases in 2025. In this context, 337 ships were abandoned under such flags.

Indian seafarers are the most affected

The ranking of abandoned seafarers by nationality is as follows:

India: 1,125 seafarers

Philippines: 539 seafarers

Syria: 309 seafarers

India's blacklist initiative

The report highlighted the Indian government's announcement to implement a 'blacklist' at the end of 2025 to protect seafarers from ships with continuous violations. The ITF is calling for other countries to establish similar national blacklists.

Call to flag states

The ITF demands that to prevent ship abandonments:

Flag states take a more active role.

The contact details of the actual ship owner be made mandatory in ship registration.

Concrete steps be taken at the IMO's Legal Committee meeting in April.

According to IMO regulations, flag states are held responsible if shipowners fail to fulfill their obligations.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye