Tag: abandonment of seafarers

A recent joint ILO/IMO meeting that took place in December and discussed the issue of seafarers' abandonment, adopted guidelines to address the significant rise in such cases, referring to key principles and responsibilities for all parties concerned. 

SRI, the international pan-industry body researching maritime and seafarers’ law, has applauded the decision by the first meeting of a joint International Labour Organization (ILO) – International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tripartite Working Group to adopt new measures which improve conditions for seafarers who have been abandoned.

New measures to improve conditions for seafarers, including those who have been abandoned, have been adopted at a meeting involving governments and maritime workers and employers’ organizations.

Stella Maris announced that the plight of a crew from a bulk carrier who had been denied shore leave and whose work contracts had been extended, has finally ended, following their intervention.

During 2021, union ship inspectors recovered more than USD $37 million in unpaid wages owed to seafarers, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has revealed. 

The Port of Dakar in Senegal has said it is too busy to rescue a cargo ship at its anchorage which has been without electricity and sidelights for months, putting its seafarers and those on passing ships in danger.

The six remaining Indian crew onboard the Indian flagged vessel the MV Sai Arambh have been reportedly abandoned since 18 October 2019 in the Port of Colombo, totalling over 32 months with limited support, says HRAS.

As at the end of May 2022, 247 vessels remain abandoned at multiple locations around the world, along with 3,623 seafarers cast adrift, unable to return home, said RightShip.

The shipping pathogeny of crew abandonment does not seem to end with ILO’s dedicated database recording a total of 95 cases last year, continuing a growing trend of 85 reported in 2020 and 40 in 2019.

During 2021, shipping industry saw many challenging events; from the pandemic implications on ship operations and the decarbonization push to the huge crisis incident of Evergiven, but managed to stay resilient through collaboration and synergy – this is when wonderful things can be achieved!