Seafarer Abandonment Doubles In A Year With All-Time High 310 Cases In 2024

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The number of seafarers abandoned at sea surged to an all-time high in 2024, with 310 cases reported globally. This marks a 118% increase compared to 2023’s record of 142 cases, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Experts have linked this sharp rise to the increasing size of the shadow fleet, which includes vessels carrying sanctioned oil and operating under minimal oversight.

The situation has worsened greatly in the 2020s. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, abandonment cases have grown in tandem with the rise of ships operating under so-called “fake flags.”

The 2024 total is nearly 2000% higher than the number of cases reported a decade ago.

The IMO, in a joint report with the International Labour Organization (ILO), described the rise in abandonment cases as “alarming and very excessively” surpassing previous records.

The report highlighted the urge…

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