London : The most abandoned nationality among seafarers in 2024 are Indians, with 411 cases reported so far, surpassing last year's total of 401. The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) based in the UK has highlighted the issue of shipowners abandoning their responsibilities towards the ship and its crew.
ITF and its affiliates have handled over 100 cases of abandonment annually, affecting more than 1,000 seafarers globally. In 2023, a total of 1,983 seafarers were abandoned, including 401 Indians. This year, out of the 1,672 recorded cases, 411 are Indian nationals. Currently, two vessels with all-Indian crews are stranded in the UAE under harsh conditions. According to ITF's analysis, Indian seafarers are the most affected nationality, followed by Filipinos and Syrians.
The situation on board the vessels includes unpaid wages totaling over USD 40,000 for the crew of the Seashine 7 and more than USD 35,000 for the crew of Sunshine 7. Basic provisions are scarce, and living conditions are dire, with crew members forced to sleep on the deck due to malfunctioning air conditioning and refrigeration. The ITF is advocating against the misuse of 'Flags of Convenience' (FOC) system, whereby vessels fly the flag of a country different from their ownership to circumvent regulations.
The union aims to eliminate this system and ensure the protection of seafarers from exploitation by shipowners. Through political and industrial campaigns, ITF seeks to establish a genuine link between a ship's flag and the nationality of its owners, managers, and crew members. ITF's unwavering commitment to combating abandonment includes rigorous inspections of ships worldwide, responding to distress calls from seafarers, and advocating for decent wages and working conditions on FOC vessels.