SOME 390 cases of seafarer abandonment were reported during 2025 globally, the International Labour Organisation reports, based upon a joint IMO/ILO database.
Of the cases reported, 224 have been resolved, while the outstanding incidents were classified as unresolved (90), disputed (69), or inactive (seven).
The database has logged a total of 1,537 abandonment incidents, affecting 3,581 seafarers from 191 nationalities.
Mission to Seafarers Australian and Papua New Guinea regional director Sue Dight said while there had not been a “serious abandonment” in Australia since international livestock carrier ship Yangtze Fortune at Portland in late 2022, the issue was “rife” in neighbouring countries such as Indonesia.
“There’s some significant work around educating seafarers about their rights,” she said.
“They’re able to connect with us, they’re able to call out bad behaviour, and while there’s fear of repercussion for many seafarers, there are others who are prepared to stand up and make that stance.”
Ms Dight said seafarers, particularly those who worked on shadow fleets, were not covered by insurance, and faced deportation when they reached foreign land.
“There’s significant repercussions for their social, mental health, for their relationships back home and their overall wellbeing,” she said.
Under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), a seafarer is considered ‘abandoned’ when a shipowner fails to provide repatriation, leaves the crew without necessary support or maintenance, or stops paying contractual wages for a period of at least two months.
The MLC establishes a legal framework designed to protect seafarers from being stranded by shipowners.
Measures include access to assistance, financial security, and repatriation.
“Many people out there are working very hard to try and ensure abandoned seafarers are cared for,” Ms Dight said.
“It’s (an abandonment) usually instigated when there’s a notice around cabotage particularly, and seafarers are underpaid for the work they are doing on Australian shores.
“Here in Australia, those seafarers have no recourse, shipping companies are not talking to them.
“They’ll need to appeal any agency that may be able to assist them to get wages and food and getting them home. They have to sit and wait a couple months up to a few years.”
In mid-2025, the ITF reported more than 2,280 seafarers were abandoned aboard 222 vessels during the first half of the previous year, with $13.1 million in unpaid wages, representing a 30% year-on-year increase in cases since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The federation stressed that Gulf States—particularly the United Arab Emirates, where many cases have been reported—as well as European states, must strengthen efforts to hold shipowners accountable and prevent abandonments in or near their ports.
“From an Australian perspective, we’re very fortunate we have a regulator in AMSA that is quite targeted in how they approach seafarer welfare,” Ms Dight said.
“(They are) supported well by the ITF… along with the Department of Transport and Industry working with Fair Work Australia.”
Cases are processed through Fair Work Australia.
Regionally, following the Arab world, Türkiye accounted for a significant number of cases, more than double those reported in the Asia-Pacific region.
The ITF has pointed out Türkiye has not ratified the MLC, which raised concerns about regulatory gaps.
The ITF’s 2024 report also identified Panama (43), Palau (37), Tanzania (30), and Comoros (29) as the worst-performing flag states in terms of abandonment cases.
In 2020, 85 cases were reported, where 55 of those have been resolved.
In 2021, 95 cases were recorded, with 64 resolved to date.
The IMO and ILO adopted new measures in 2022, aimed at improving conditions for abandoned seafarers.
Those guidelines focused on enhancing coordination among flag states, port states, seafarers’ home states, and recruitment service states to accelerate case resolution, ensure payment of outstanding wages, and facilitate repatriation.
In 2023, the IMO adopted resolution (LEG.6(110)) during the 110th IMO Legal Committee to provide guidelines for port state and flag state authorities on how to manage seafarer abandonment cases.
New amendments to the MLC came into effect in December 2024.