ITF: Seafarer Abandonments Skyrocket in 2024 to Record Highs

By Lori-Ann LaRocco –

New data released by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) shows a skyrocketing year-over-year increase of 87% in seafarers abandoned by shipowners in 2024.

David Heindel, President of the Seafarers’ International Union of North America (SIU) and Chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Section, tells gCaptain that 2024 was the worst year on record, and what is driving this increase are shipowners hiding behind “flags of convenience.”

“The persistent existence and easy accessibility of flags of convenience not only undermine seafarers’ fundamental human and labor rights but also pose a significant threat to global security and supply chain resiliency,” warned Heindel. “This exploitative system enables unscrup…