Just one quarter into 2025, the world has already recorded 54 cases of crew abandonment by shipowners. This not only suggests that this year could become the second-worst year for abandonment in history, but also reflects the shipping industry’s systemic neglect of labor rights.

According to International Labour Organization (ILO) data, 310 crew abandonment cases were reported globally in 2024—a 118% surge from 2023 (142 cases). While the pandemic was once a catalyst, the current crisis stems from the rapid expansion of the "shadow fleet"—vessels often registered under "flags of convenience" and operating opaquely, creating fertile ground for crew exploitation.

This "reckless abandonment" is no accident. Faced with vessel detentions, soaring operational costs, or regulatory pressures, more shipowners are simply walking away, leaving crews stranded—unable to disembark, unpaid, and deprived of food and basic human rights.

To address the worsening crisis, the ILO recently convened to update the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), aiming to improve seafarers' working and living conditions. Key revisions include:

• Officially recognizing seafarers as "key workers"

• Strengthening repatriation guarantees

• Ensuring shore leave without visa restrictions

• Adding anti-bullying and harassment protections

Yet, despite such conventions, enforcement remains weak. As early as late 2022, the ILO and IMO jointly issued the *Guidelines on Abandonment of Seafarers*—but with abandonment cases still skyrocketing, the guidelines have failed to curb the crisis.

As Steven Jones, founder of the *Seafarers Happiness Index*, warns:

*"Fake flags, shadow ships, and chaos breed exploitation. Abandonment isn’t just rogue behavior—it’s a symptom of the industry’s structural flaws. Without radical reform, ‘people’ will vanish entirely from shipping’s equation."*

Abandonment is more than a moral issue. It exposes the most vulnerable link in global shipping and serves as a wake-up call for ports, cargo owners, and logistics providers: No matter how busy trade gets, remember—there are still people onboard waiting for pay, waiting to go home.