NEW DELHI, India, Aug 19: Indian seafarers continue to top the global list of abandoned crew members, with many stranded on cargo vessels for months without pay, provisions, or repatriation, according to industry sources and crew accounts.

Manas Kumar*, chief officer on the Anka cargo vessel, has been stuck on board since April. The ship, transporting popcorn from Moldova to Turkey, was halted on April 18 while navigating the Danube River, which separates Ukraine and Romania. Ukrainian authorities claimed the vessel was part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” used to sell looted Ukrainian grain. Kumar said the ship operated under the Tanzanian flag and was managed by a Turkish company.

Kumar described the situation: “This is a war zone. All we want is to return home quickly.” He added that Ukrainian authorities had cleared the crew to leave, but disembarking would forfeit unpaid wages, totaling $102,828 by June, according to a joint International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) database.

India, the world’s second-largest supplier of sailors, accounted for 899 of the 3,133 abandoned seafarers recorded in 2024 across 312 vessels, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said. Many seafarers cannot leave ships without losing wages, particularly after paying recruitment fees or training costs.

Industry observers cite the widespread use of “flags of convenience” as a primary reason for abandonment. Ships registered in countries with weak regulations can obscure ownership and reduce standards for crew welfare. ITF data shows nearly 90% of abandoned vessels in 2024 sailed under such flags. The international nature of shipping — owners, managers, flags, and crews often from different countries — adds complexity to resolving disputes.

Captain Amitabh Chaudhary* recounted being stranded on the Stratos vessel, a Tanzania-flagged oil tanker, for nearly six months after it struck rocks near Saudi Arabia’s Jubail port in January. Nine Indian crew members and one Iraqi faced delays in salary payments, with the owner citing financial losses. “We are still at the same place in the same situation. The mind has stopped working, can’t think what [more] we should do,” Chaudhary said.

Similarly, Captain Prabjeet Singh* described being abandoned on the Indian-owned, Curacao-flagged Nirvana oil tanker. Sold to a new owner who planned decommissioning, the crew faced unpaid wages and inadequate provisions while awaiting a court-ordered settlement. “We were forced to break and burn the ship’s wood to cook food,” Singh told the BBC. Even after disembarking on July 7, wages remain unpaid.

Seafarers frequently blame India’s Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) for insufficient scrutiny of ships, owners, and recruitment agencies. “When you are hired, you get enough time to inform the DG Shipping (about any discrepancies in your contract),” said Sushil Deorukhkar of the ITF. “Once you sign the papers, you are stuck and have to knock on every door for resolution.”

Former seafarer Mohammad Gulam Ansari, who assists with repatriation, said abandoning ships without pay often leaves crew members with no financial alternative.

Despite ongoing hardships, stranded crews continue to advocate for prompt repatriation and wage settlement. “Can we get some help? We just want to go home and meet our loved ones,” Chaudhary said.

(*Names changed to protect identities)