A group of 15 Indian seafarers aboard the offshore support vessel Star Apollo in Indonesia have raised urgent concerns about their situation after reportedly going unpaid for months. Their plight underscores a growing crisis of seafarer abandonment that the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is now characterizing as increasingly severe.
The Star Apollo, a 1,500 gross ton vessel, has been docked at the Batamec Shipyard since October 2024. The crew members began their contracts just four to eight months ago but claim they have not received any wages during this entire period. In a video released with ITF’s assistance, the seafarers can be seen holding handwritten signs that highlight food shortages and threats from ship management when inquiries about their unpaid salaries are made. They are pleading for intervention from Indian unions and the vessel’s flag state to secure their return home along with their owed wages.
The vessel was sold earlier this year to Vindhyawashini offshore, a Mumbai-based company, and is registered under the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis. ITF Global Inspectorate Coordinator Steve Trownsdale has noted that the distress experienced by the crew is affecting their physical and mental health. The ITF is currently working to recover nearly $80,000 in unpaid wages for the crew.
This incident is emblematic of a much broader issue. The ITF has reported a staggering 87% increase in the number of abandoned seafarers globally, rising from 1,676 in 2023 to 3,133 in 2024. Vessel abandonment has also surged by 136%, with 312 reported cases this year alone. Abandoned seafarers frequently endure months of unpaid work, substandard living conditions, and insufficient access to basic needs such as food and clean drinking water. Many are left without medical care and work extended hours without adequate rest. As some cases grow more severe, seafarers can remain stranded for months or even years.
Maritime regulations, particularly those outlined in the Maritime Labour Convention governed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), mandate that flag states must ensure the welfare and repatriation of abandoned seafarers. Unfortunately, enforcement delays, lack of insurance, and shipowners denying responsibility often exacerbate these cases.
The ITF emphasizes that poor oversight by both flag and port states, coupled with a lack of accountability from shipowners, perpetuates this crisis, leaving thousands of seafarers in vulnerable and helpless situations. As awareness of these issues rises, so too does the urgency for unions, flag states, and international organizations to take action to protect the rights and welfare of seafarers worldwide.
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