In the worst case of serial seafarer abandonment ever seen, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) condemns Middle East Marine LLC for its systematic abuse and neglect of over 100 seafarers.

Today, the ITF is calling on the United Arab Emirates Government and the Palau maritime authorities to act to end seafarers’ suffering and uphold international maritime and human rights law.

Since November 2022, the ITF has reported over 17 abandonments across 18 vessels in Bangladesh, India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

Seafarers from India, Indonesia and Myanmar have been left in dire conditions including the provision of dirty drinking water, lack of food, withholding of passports and medication, refusing ill crew hospital visits, and unpaid wages. Acts considered human and labour rights abuses…

Under international law – the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended – seafarers should be paid at least once per month. Crews owed two months or more of pay or who are not provided with sufficient food, water and fuel are considered to have been abandoned, which should trigger action by insurers and the ship’s Flag State – the country where the ship is registered – in this case Palau.

The ITF has not received a single response from the Palau maritime authorities despite the urgency of the situation seafarers and their families are facing. ..