Abandonment cases
Curated public record of documented seafarer abandonment cases, sourced from the IMO/ILO Joint Database of Abandonment of Seafarers, ITF campaign material, and national maritime-administration filings. Cases are catalogued with vessel IMO (where available), flag, port, shipowner, MLC financial-security posture, and outcome for the crew.
31 entries · 20 specific vessels · 11 regime + trend summaries · reviewed 2026-07-07
If you are currently facing abandonment
- Photograph your DMLC Part II — the insurer name and policy number are what unlocks wage payment and repatriation under MLC Standard A2.5.2.
- Contact ISWAN SeafarerHelp on +44 800 012 1004 (24/7, all languages, free from most countries).
- Contact the nearest ITF inspector — inspector network is 130+ globally.
- Read /rights/abandonment for the full regulatory + escalation framework.
Individual documented cases
- MV Captain Nagdaliyev· 2023-2024 · Port Sudan anchorage, Sudanflag: PAN · crew: 13 (UA, AZ, TR) · status: resolved
- MV Al Madina· 2023-2024 · Ras Al Khaimah anchorage, UAEflag: COM · crew: 11 (IN, SY, SD) · status: resolved
- MV Alexandria· 2022-2023 · Alexandria anchorage, Egyptflag: TZA · crew: 9 (UA, PH, TR) · status: resolved
- MV Blue Mangroves· 2022-2023 · Port Klang anchorage, Malaysiaflag: PLW · crew: 11 (MM, ID) · status: resolved
- MV Baraka· 2022-2023 · Bandar Abbas anchorage, Iranflag: COM · crew: 8 (IN, SY) · status: resolved
- MV Al Hasan· 2021-2022 · Jeddah, Saudi Arabiaflag: COM · crew: 12 (EG, SY, SD) · status: resolved
- MV Zeynep· 2021-2022 · Aliaga, Turkey (recycling waters)flag: TZA · crew: 8 (UA, GE, RU) · status: resolved
- MV Arvin· 2021-2021 · Black Sea (Turkish coast)flag: PLW · crew: 12 (UA, RU) · status: resolved vessel loss
- MV Arvin (extended case detail)· 2020-2021 · Black Sea, off Karasu, Turkeyflag: PLW · crew: 12 (UA, RU) · status: resolved vessel loss
- MV Fahmi· 2020-2021 · Shuwaikh, Kuwaitflag: SLE · crew: 11 (EG, SY, IN) · status: resolved
- MV Nabil H· 2020-2021 · Suez anchorage, Egyptflag: TZA · crew: 8 (EG, SY, IN) · status: resolved
- MV Aeolos· 2020-2021 · Adabiya anchorage, Egyptflag: TZA · crew: 12 (UA, RU, SY) · status: resolved
- MV Obangame· 2019-2020 · Douala port, Cameroonflag: CMR · crew: 12 (PH, CM, SN) · status: resolved
- MV Amir Muhammad III· 2019-2020 · Port Klang anchorage, Malaysiaflag: MYS · crew: 9 (BD, MM) · status: resolved
- MV Al Ansari 2· 2019-2020 · Ajman anchorage, UAEflag: TZA · crew: 10 (IN, SY, SD) · status: resolved
- MV Ula· 2019-2020 · Shuwaikh anchorage, Kuwaitflag: PAN · crew: 19 (EG, IN, SD, TR, MM) · status: resolved
- MV Rhoswen· 2019-2020 · Ajman anchorage, UAEflag: PAN · crew: 15 (IN, MM, SY) · status: resolved
- MV Palawan· 2018-2019 · Fujairah anchorage, UAEflag: PAN · crew: 14 (IN, PH, MM) · status: resolved
- MT Iba· 2017-2021 · Umm Al Quwain anchorage, UAEflag: PAN · crew: 4 (IN) · status: resolved
- MV Azraqmoiah· 2017-2019 · Fujairah anchorage, UAEflag: PAN · crew: 10 (IN, MM, SD) · status: resolved
Regime + trend summaries
- COVID-19 crisis (aggregate)· 2020-2022source: IMO + ILO + Neptune Declaration
- IMO/ILO Joint Database annual summary (2024)· 2024-2024source: IMO/ILO Joint Database
- MLC A2.5.2 financial-security regime (2017-2024 review)· 2017-2024source: IMO/ILO Joint Database + IG P&I
- Bahri fleet crew-change delays 2020 (aggregate)· 2020-2020source: ITF + Neptune Declaration
- Ukraine war impact on Ukrainian seafarer abandonment 2022-2024 (aggregate)· 2022-2024source: ITF + IMO/ILO Joint Database + Ukrainian Ministry
- Fujairah anchorage abandonment cluster 2019-2023 (aggregate)· 2019-2023source: ITF Dubai + Mission to Seafarers Fujairah + UAE Federal Transport Authority
- IMO/ILO Joint Database annual summary (2023)· 2023-2023source: IMO/ILO Joint Database
- US non-ratification of MLC 2006 — implications for US-flag seafarer abandonment· 2013source: USCG + ITF Global + Union coordination
- COVID-19 abandonment cluster 2020-2022 (aggregate)· 2020-2022source: IMO/ILO Joint Database + Neptune Declaration + ITF campaigns
- IMO/ILO Joint Database annual summary (2024)· 2024-2024source: IMO/ILO Joint Database
- Sanctions-affected shadow-fleet abandonment pattern (aggregate, 2022-2024)· 2022-2024source: ITF + IMO/ILO + flag-state ad hoc