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Originally published by Capital Businessbusiness
February 9, 2026
2h ago
The shadowy world of abandoned oil tankers
Ivan (not his real name), spoke to me last month from an oil tanker that lies abandoned outside the territorial waters of China. He is a senior deck officer. Kenya breaking news | Kenya news today |..
✨ Key Highlights
There has been a significant increase in abandoned oil tankers and commercial ships globally, leaving thousands of merchant sailors stranded without pay or provisions. This spike is attributed to geopolitical instability and the rise of "shadow fleets."
- In 2025, the number of abandoned ships ballooned to 410, affecting 6,223 merchant seamen, a nearly one-third increase from 2024.
- Ivan, a senior deck officer on an abandoned oil tanker carrying 750,000 barrels of Russian crude worth around $50 million, reported severe shortages of food.
- The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has intervened in cases like Ivan's, recovering $16.5 million of the $25.8 million owed to abandoned crews last year.
- "Shadow fleets," often ageing vessels with obscure ownership sailing under flags of convenience (FOCs), are a major contributor, with FOC vessels accounting for 82% of abandonments in 2025.
- The most affected nationality for maritime abandonment in 2025 were Indian sailors, accounting for 1,125, or 18% of the total.
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