Abandoned ships at sea have emerged as a serious maritime industry crisis, creating both navigational hazards and humanitarian concerns. Over recent years, hundreds of vessels have been left to drift around the
Abandoned ships at sea have emerged as a serious maritime industry crisis, creating both navigational hazards and humanitarian concerns. Over recent years, hundreds of vessels have been left to drift around the oceans unattended, endangering global shipping routes, marine ecosystems, and seafarers themselves.
Ship abandonment occurs when ship owners fail to provide wages, provisions, and fuel to their crews onboard their vessels; leaving them stranded aboard their vessels for months or even years without proper support from management. According to the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), reported cases of ship abandonment have more than doubled in five years, with over 3,000 seafarers affected worldwide in 2024 alone and over 220 vessels abandoned worldwide alone.
Abandonment often stems from financial difficulties, mismanagement, or unscrupulous shipowners seeking to sidestep regulatory obligations. Compounding this issue are so-called "flags of convenience" operations in which ships register under jurisdictions with weak enforcement, making accountability difficult for shipowners.
Abandoned vessels pose significant navigational dangers when left adrift in major shipping lanes. Frequently unlit and without appropriate signaling systems, abandoned ships increase collision risks significantly when sailing along dense waterways such as Straits of Malacca, Suez Canal, or Panama Canal.
Unused vessels left adrift can also run
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