The number of abandoned vessels worldwide surged in 2024, leaving hundreds of Filipino seafarers stranded without pay and basic necessities such as food, according to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

In an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show Usapang OFW on 18 February, ITF Inspector Arvin Peralta confirmed that around 300 Filipino seafarers were among the 3,000 seafarers abandoned on 312 ships last year.

Under the Maritime Labor Convention of 2006, there are three conditions by which a vessel will be considered abandoned: lack of repatriation arrangements; insufficient provisions, including food and fuel; and non-payment of wages.

“Even just one of these three conditions qualifies as abandonment,” Peralta said.

The situation is worsened because there are no quick solutions to bring the stranded seafarers home.

Peralta noted that sending replacement crews to affected vessels could result in the new workers facing the same predicament.

Peralta pointed to the Flags of Convenience registration as a major factor in vessel abandonment. This occurs when shipowners register their vessels in countries with weak labor regulations, such as Panama and Liberia, that allows substandard working conditions to persist.

“The problem is that even if a ship is in poor condition, it can still be registered in these countries,” Peralta said. “For seafarers assigned to these vessels or companies, living and working standards are extremely low, and wages are inadequate.”

To address this, the ITF is pushing for collective bargaining agreements in the shipowners’ home countries to compel operators to comply with better labor standards.

However, despite these efforts, enforcement remains weak, and flag states often fail to take action.