Abandonments surged from 20 ships in 2016 to 410 in 2025, affecting about 6,223 seafarers in 2025, marking a near one-third rise from 2024.

ITF, IMO, and ILO data show 2025 wage arrears of about $25.8 million globally, with $16.5 million recovered; one ship linked to Ivan owed roughly $175,000 at the ITF’s initial involvement.

Indian seafarers bore the largest share of 2025 wage arrears (1,125 sailors, 18%), followed by Filipinos and Syrians, while India has blacklisted 86 foreign vessels for abandonment and rights violations.

FOCs—especially Panama, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands—now account for about 46.5% of merchant ships by weight, while Gambia has emerged as a new paper-host for oil tankers, underscoring problematic ownership structures.

Shadow fleets comprising aging, poorly maintained ships with lax oversight are used to support sanctions-busting crude exports by countries like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, often operating under FOCs.

Experts say the fate of abandoned ships may hinge on ship-to-ship transfers at sea and the need for broader international cooperation to shield seafarers from shadow-fleet risks.

In 2025, 82% of abandoned ships were flag-of-convenience vessels, with the extent of shadow-fleet involvement unclear but linked to high risk and weak oversight.

Industry voices criticize flag states for shirking responsibility and urge a genuine link between owners and flags; current rules lack a universally agreed definition of ownership and flag accountability.

A global rise in abandoned oil tankers and other merchant ships over the past year has left thousands of seafarers unpaid aboard aging vessels, many registered under flags of convenience or owned by opaque entities.

Going forward, due diligence is set to include verifying a vessel’s condition, payment history, and provisions, with assessments based on online flags and sanctions lists before joining a ship.

Ivan, a Russian senior deck officer aboard a nearly 750,000-barrel oil tanker abandoned near China, describes dire living conditions, hunger, and halted wages, with ITF steps in to pay and supply essentials.