Rising Maritime Abandonments Leave Thousands of Workers at Sea

A record number of ships are being abandoned worldwide, according to the United Nations' labor and maritime organizations, leaving over 3,000 seafarers stranded without pay and basic necessities. The number of abandonment cases doubled over the past three years, impacting approximately 230 vessels in 2024, as reported by the Associated Press.

These alarming figures highlight the plight of crew members on outdated and often dilapidated ships. Many workers, like Abdul Nasser Saleh, have gone unpaid for years. Industry experts note that shipowners frequently cut off payments when facing financial difficulties, leaving crews stranded in ports without the paperwork needed to secure land access.

Helen Meldrum, a ship inspector with the International Transport Workers’ Federation, emphasized that the situation often leads to severe living conditions, where crews may lack sufficient food and water. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia have reported the highest incidents of abandonment. Despite international guidelines aimed at protecting workers, enforcement remains challenging in an industry riddled with opaque ownership structures.