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Flag states, including St. Kitts and Nevis, are grappling with a significant increase in vessel abandonment incidents, with data from the International Transport Workers Federation (ITWF) revealing an almost 11% rise in 2023. The ITWF recorded 132 reported incidents, representing a surge of 13 from the previous year, leading to the retrieval of over $12.1 million in owed wages for seafarers.

Vessel and seafarer abandonments, as defined by the Maritime Labour Convention (2006), involve shipowners failing to cover repatriation costs, withholding necessary maintenance and support, unilaterally severing ties, or neglecting to pay wages for at least two months. The ITWF’s inspectorate coordinator, Steve Trowsdale, emphasized the unacceptable nature of the increasing number of abandonments, attributing it to an industry where seafarers are sometimes treated as “some sort of modern-day slaves.”

While Indian seafarers bore the brunt of abandonments, Panama-flagged vessels recorded the highest number with 23 incidents. St. Kitts and Nevis, alongside other flag states like Palau, Cameroon, and Comoros, experienced a notable level of abandonments, highlighting a global concern for seafarer safety. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) echoed these concerns, emphasizing that seafarer safety must be paramount, particularly in regions like the Red Sea facing escalating conflicts.