Maritime
Over 6,223 Seafarers Abandoned In 2025 – Says ITF
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), says over 6,223 seafarers were abandoned in 2025
ITF also said the abandoned Seafarers were recorded across 410 ships,
The Data shows that the numbers represent 31% increase in such ship abandonments compared to 2024, and a 32% increase in seafarers abandonment.
ITF data, which will be submitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) ahead of its discussion at a legal committee meeting this year, also shows that seafarers were owed a total of $25.8m in 2025 as a consequence of the abandonments.
The report said ITF has recovered and returned $16.5m to seafarers.
David Heindel, Chair, ITF Seafarers’ Section“ said it’s nothing short of a disgrace that, yet again, we are seeing record numbers of seafarers abandoned by unscrupulous shipowners,”
“Every day, all around the world, seafarers face horrific violations of their human and labour rights, all so that bottom-feeding companies can make a quick buck at their expense.
” It’s very clear that this is a systemic issue in the industry – and that means we need the entire industry to come together with seafarers and their unions to say, ‘enough is enough’, and take action together to end this crisis.”
“We are normalising, treating seafarers like disposable pawns”
The International Maritime Organization IMO and the International Labour Organization (ILO) run a joint seafarers abandonment database.
Indian seafarers were the worst affected national group in 2025, as in 2024, with 1,125 seafarers abandoned. At the end of 2025, the Indian government announced that blacklisting measures would be taken to protect seafarers from ships with a record of repeat abandonments and other bad practices.
Filipino Seafarers were the second worst affected, with 539 abandoned, followed by Syrians with 309 abandoned.
The worst region for abandonment was the Middle East, followed by Europe.
The two countries where most ship abandonments took place,the countries with the highest number of vessels on which abandonments occurred both of which have significantly higher abandonments than any other country, were Türkiye (61) and the United Arab Emirates (54).
Flag of convenience (FOCs) vessels feature prominently in abandonment: 337 vessels abandoned in 2025 – 82% of the total – were flying FOC flags.
Commenting on the statistics, founder of Seafarer Social Consultants, Carl King told Splash today: “Every abandoned seafarer is a step backwards for the shipping industry. With one hand we talk about a retention crisis; with the other, we normalise treating seafarers like disposable pawns.”
King called the data a “disgrace”, warning shipowners and flag states need to fix the issue quickly, or accept an even steeper decline in the skilled people needed to crew vessels.
International operations manager at the International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN),Chirag Bahri, described how abandonment has lasting impacts on the mental wellbeing of seafarers and their families ashore, alongside severe financial distress.
“Many seafarers are left struggling with unpaid wages, ongoing loans, and money lost to fraudulent agents in the hope of securing work.
The continued rise in abandonment cases highlights systemic failures that necessitate immediate attention and coordinated action across the industry,” Bahri said.
ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton urged the International Maritime Organization to be given more power to play a coordinating role in eradicating abandonment.
The ITF has three ideas to tackle seafarer abandonment which includes, flag states must be compelled to log a ship’s beneficial owner, including contact details, as a pre-condition for registration.
Secondly, National blacklisting of ships should happen to protect seafarers from ships with repeated involvement in abandonment cases.
Finally, the ITF is calling on governments to investigate the use of flags of convenience.
Steven Jones, the founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index, hit out at how regulators were not dismantling the mechanisms which allow bad actors,
“the fundamentally evil owners” who have such blatant disregard for seafarers.
“Until we drive real change, until the regulation aligns with the response, and until we get more agile in spotting the warning signs and in dealing with them, then next year the numbers will be bigger. And the year after that,” Jones said.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting media growth and development as a critical tool for effective dissemination of government policies, especially as Nigeria pursues its $1 trillion economy target by 2030.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, stated this at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Finance and Business Online Publishers Association (FiBOP) held at Lekki, Lagos.
Adeniyi, who was represented by the Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Lagos Free Trade Zone Command, Abdulgany Oloro Usman, said the media has a vital role in ensuring government policies are well communicated to the public.
Also speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Revenue, Dr. Olufemi Olarinde, urged media practitioners to shun sensationalism and partner with government in communicating accurate economic data.
According to Oyedele, public trust is strengthened when citizens clearly understand government actions, the rationale behind them and the metrics for measuring progress.
“Enough of sensational news. Government must provide timely information, welcome constructive scrutiny, and explain its decisions transparently,” the Minister said.
Highpoint of the event was the conferment of the *”Transformative Reforms and Leadership Excellence” Award* on the Customs Comptroller-General, Bashir Adeniyi, by FiBOP.
The award recognises Adeniyi’s exceptional stewardship which has catalysed a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s trade and border management landscape, particularly in trade facilitation, institutional transparency, technological innovation and modernisation of the Service.
The Association noted that since assuming office, Adeniyi has transformed the Service from a traditional revenue collector into a modern, globally compliant trade facilitator through dismantling of bureaucratic bottlenecks, streamlining of cargo clearance procedures, and championing the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme and the Time Release Study (TRS).
It further cited his deployment of non-intrusive inspection technologies, enhanced inter-agency intelligence sharing, intensified anti-smuggling operations and the rollout of the Unified Customs Management System as key achievements that have reduced port congestion, lowered cost of doing business and boosted revenue generation
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA), Dr Pius Akutah, has announced plans to introduce an Award of Honesty for three cadets of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, annually, beginning from 2027.
Akutah said the initiative was aimed at promoting integrity, ethical conduct and professionalism among future maritime practitioners.
He made the announcement while delivering his goodwill message at the Academy’s 2026 Cadets’ Graduation Ceremony, last week where he congratulated the graduating cadets on successfully completing their academic training.
The NPERA boss described graduation as the beginning of a new phase of professional development, offering opportunities for career advancement, practical experience and meaningful contributions to Nigeria’s maritime industry.
He encouraged the graduates to approach their careers with dedication, discipline and a commitment to continuous learning as they transition from academic training into professional practice.
He stressed that professional competence must be complemented by integrity and responsible conduct to build a credible maritime industry and sustain public confidence in the sector.
According to him, the proposed Award of Honesty would promote a culture of integrity among young maritime professionals and reinforce the ethical values required for responsible leadership and professional excellence.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening maritime education, professional certification and sea-time training.
Oyetola, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Fatima Sugra Mahmood, at the ceremony, also called for stronger collaboration between maritime training institutions and industry operators to prepare graduates for the demands of the maritime industry.
He emphasised the importance of equipping maritime graduates with the requisite professional qualifications, practical experience and industry-relevant skills to enhance their employability and effective participation in the sector.
The Minister also highlighted the need for closer collaboration between maritime training institutions and industry operators to bridge the gap between academic training and professional practice, thereby strengthening the capacity of Nigeria’s maritime workforce.
The ceremony also featured the formal launch of the Academy’s Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS), an initiative designed to improve administrative efficiency, transparency and accountability in the institution’s operations.
The Academy graduated 314 cadets from its National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Network of Nigeria Maritime Journalists (NNMJ), the umbrella body of all maritime Journalists is set to host its Unity Conference later this month in Ikeja, Lagos.
The conference would bring together key policymakers, maritime regulators, industry leaders and other stakeholders to examine the future of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
In a statement jointly signed by Chairman and Public Relations Officer of NNMJ, Elder Dele Aderibigbe and Jerry Aguigbo respectively, the conference, scheduled to commence at 11:00 a.m., will focus on the performance, policy direction and operational efficiency of the maritime industry under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, with particular emphasis on port modernisation, trade facilitation and revenue generation.
Former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Barrister Temisan Omatseye, will chair the conference, while the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, will attend as the Special Guest of Honour.
Renowned maritime lawyer, Barrister Emeka Akabogu, SAN, will deliver the keynote address at the event, which is themed “Seaport Modernisation, Trade Facilitation and Revenue.”
The conference is expected to provide a platform for constructive engagement among government officials, maritime professionals and private-sector operators on practical strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s maritime industry and maximising its contribution to national economic growth.
Key areas of discussion will include the modernisation of seaports and the renewal of critical infrastructure, improved trade facilitation, enhanced ease of doing business, revenue growth and measures to curb financial leakages.
Participants will also examine opportunities for expanding the marine and blue economy, creating employment, strengthening maritime safety and security, and improving the overall competitiveness of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The gathering is expected to attract heads of government agencies, managing directors of shipping companies, terminal operators, freight forwarders and other prominent stakeholders across the maritime value chain.
Through the Unity Conference, NNMJ seeks to encourage informed dialogue, strengthen collaboration between public and private-sector stakeholders, and promote policy initiatives that will enhance port efficiency, facilitate legitimate trade, improve revenue performance and unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The conference is also expected to reinforce the role of the maritime media in promoting accountability, providing informed industry analysis and advancing constructive engagement on policies and reforms affecting the nation’s marine and blue economy.
By; Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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