Indian Seafarers Endure Record Abandonment for Third Straight Year
For the third consecutive year, Indian seafarers have been identified as the most abandoned in the world, according to recent data. The year 2025 has set a distressing record for seafarer abandonment globally, with Indian nationals bearing the brunt of this crisis.
Alarming Statistics Reveal Growing Crisis
In 2025, a total of 1,125 Indian seafarers were abandoned on ships, representing a significant portion of the 6,223 seafarers abandoned across 410 ships worldwide. This marks a 25% increase compared to 2024, when 899 Indian seafarers were abandoned, and a stark rise from the 401 cases recorded in 2023.
Following Indians, the next highest cohort abandoned in 2025 were Filipinos, with 539 cases. India stands as the third-biggest supplier of seafarers globally, trailing only the Philippines and China, which underscores the scale of this issue for the country's maritime workforce.
Global Trends and Financial Impact
Worldwide, the total number of seafarers abandoned has surged by 32%, while ship abandonments have increased by 31% compared to 2024, as reported by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), based in London. The ITF data further reveals that seafarers were owed a staggering $25.8 million in 2025 due to abandonment, with the federation recovering and returning $16.5 million to affected workers.
The two countries where most ship abandonments occurred were Türkiye and the UAE, highlighting regional hotspots for this malpractice.
Definition and Industry Response
Seafarer abandonment is defined as:
- Failing to cover the cost of a seafarer’s repatriation.
- Leaving a seafarer without maintenance.
- Severing ties with a seafarer, including failing to pay wages for at least two months.
David Heindel, chair of the ITF seafarers’ section, condemned the situation, stating, “It’s nothing short of a disgrace that, yet again, we are seeing record numbers of seafarers abandoned by unscrupulous ship owners.”
Human Toll and Regulatory Actions
The human impact is profound, as illustrated by an Indian seafarer abandoned with three Indian crew on the “Eleen Armonia” off the coast of Nigeria since June, without pay. He shared, “I can’t sleep from stress, and if this continues I don’t know how it will affect my health. I joined this vessel quickly because the assignment meant I could spend Christmas and New Year with my new daughter and family. I have now missed these and an important family event. As seafarers, it feels really shameful that we’re treated this way.”
In response to such abuses, India’s Directorate General of Shipping took action last September by blacklisting 86 vessels linked to recurrent Indian seafarer abuse, aiming to curb these practices.
Underlying Issues with Flags of Convenience
A significant factor in this crisis is the use of flags of convenience, where vessels sail under flags of a country other than the country of ownership. In 2025, 337 ship abandonments involved such vessels. These flags are often employed by shadow fleets carrying sanctioned goods to conceal the identity of real ship owners and are associated with poor safety standards and working conditions, exacerbating the vulnerability of seafarers.
This ongoing trend underscores urgent needs for stronger international regulations and enforcement to protect maritime workers, particularly from major seafarer-supplying nations like India.
