June 25, 2026
The Seafarers’ Charity Recognises Day of the Seafarer 2026
On Day of the Seafarer, charity unveils new film series aimed at helping seafarers avoid abandonment.
‘Smart Seafaring. A Safe Return’
The animated series - ‘Smart Seafaring. A Safe Return’ - aims to help seafarers understand warning signs of unreliable ships, give them skills to cope with abandonment if it occurs, and advice for their families and loved ones to support them from home.
An unwanted record
Seafarer abandonment hit record levels in 2025, according to data compiled by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), with 6,223 seafarers abandoned across 410 ships.
This is the fourth year in a row that the total number of abandoned seafarers has reached record levels. The numbers represent a 98.6% increase in abandoned seafarers and a 32% increase in ships compared with 2024.
The release of The Seafarers’ Charity’s first film coincides with Day of the Seafarer, celebrated since 2011, which highlights the contributions of the world’s seafarers. 2026’s theme is ‘Carrying world trade. Carrying the risks’.
The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006 defines abandonment as a situation in which a shipowner ceases fulfilling obligations to seafarers, including the non-payment of wages for at least two months, failure to provide food, water, fuel, and medical care, or refusal to cover repatriation costs.
In practical terms, this leaves crew marooned—often in foreign ports or on vessels in precarious conditions—without means of redress or support. In some cases, shipowners abandon ships and crews so that they can leverage unpaid labour to secure credit.
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“Seafarers go to sea to provide for their families and to keep global trade moving. It is criminal that thousands of these key workers are abandoned by unscrupulous owners and operators. Abandonment can lead to significantly worse physical and mental health among crew, while not being able to send money back home means their families may fall behind on bills. Seafarers deserve respect and care, not callous treatment. On Day of the Seafarer we urge everyone in the maritime community to engage with our films and equip themselves to deal with abandonment, however it might affect them.”
Deborah Layde
Chief Executive of The Seafarers’ Charity
The journey continues
The remaining films in the three-part series will be released over the summer along with downloadable guides for seafarers and their families. The charity also plans to translate the videos into multiple languages to meet the needs of an international seafaring audience.
