International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

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Ship Abandonment and the Life of Workers on Abandoned Vessels: A Scholarly Journal

Author(s) Mr. Avinash S Nair, Dr. Sudhir Kumar
Country India
Abstract Ship abandonment remains one of the most severe and persistent humanitarian crises within the global maritime industry, reflecting systemic failures in international labour governance, commercial shipping practices, and flag State responsibilities. Despite the establishment of comprehensive regulatory instruments—including the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006), the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and various International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines—incidents of abandonment continue to rise, leaving thousands of seafarers stranded on deteriorating vessels without wages, food, medical care, or the means to return home. Reports from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), and Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) reveal that abandonment is not merely a contractual dispute but a structural human rights violation rooted in opaque ship-ownership chains, Flags of Convenience, and weak enforcement mechanisms at both international and domestic levels.

This paper critically examines the legal, operational, and humanitarian dimensions of ship abandonment, drawing on global data, case studies, and evolving maritime jurisprudence. It explores the lived experiences of abandoned seafarers, highlighting challenges such as psychological trauma, prolonged isolation, loss of dignity, and the constant fear of detention, criminalisation, or vessel deterioration. Through an appraisal of international conventions, port State control practices, and welfare interventions by organisations such as the ITF and HRAS, the study identifies persistent gaps in accountability and emergency response.

The analysis demonstrates that while regulatory reforms have improved reporting and repatriation processes, abandonment continues largely due to systemic incentives that shield beneficial shipowners, deter effective compliance, and externalise human costs onto seafarers themselves. The paper concludes by advocating for stronger enforcement of the MLC financial-security provisions, enhanced transparency in vessel ownership, mandatory human-rights due diligence in global supply chains, and the establishment of an independent international mechanism dedicated to monitoring, responding to, and preventing seafarer abandonment.
Keywords Ship abandonment; Seafarers’ rights; Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006); Human rights at sea; Flags of Convenience; International Labour Organization (ILO); International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF); Human Rights at Sea (HRAS); Maritime welfare; Port State control; Repatriation; Maritime governance; Crew exploitation; Global shipping industry; Legal accountability.
Field Sociology > Administration / Law / Management
Published In Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On 2025-11-30
DOI https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.62088
Short DOI https://doi.org/hbdsnj
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