Supporting Seafarers through Ship Abandonment
Our research and experience has indicated that ship abandonment is one of the most important issues which afflict the mental health and well-being of seafarers as they carry out their dangerous line of work.
Here at The Mission to Seafarers, we provide much needed emergency support and assistance to abandoned seafarers, to help them overcome the many challenges that these events can create.
What is Ship Abandonment?
Ship abandonment is defined in the Maritime Labour Convention (2006) as an event where the ship owner has ceased communicating with their ship for more than eight weeks.
This is a surprisingly common event, occurring when unscrupulous vessel owners abandon their ships due to financial problems or on account of legal disputes. The ships are left in port or at anchorage, often due to money having dried up for port costs, unloading fees and/or wages.
Seafarers have to remain on board abandoned vessels during this eight week period to ensure that they are paid any wages owning to them. These are wages which are often vital in helping to feed, provide clothing and educate family members back home, especially when a seafarer from a less affluent region such as the Philippines could be supporting up to 15-20 extended family members at a time.
It is during these eight weeks that abandoned seafarers will rely on the care and support that The Mission to Seafarers can provide.
How Does The Mission Help?
The Mission to Seafarers aims to provide emergency assistance to seafarers who have suffered ship abandonment in the weeks following the event.
We provide important financial support for food, water, fuel and other essential supplies that seafarers require. In addition to this, we work with port authorities, shipping companies, flag states and the International Transport Workers’ Federation to mediate between parties with the aim of settling any disputes.
Help Us Gain Justice for Seafarers
We can’t provide these vital services to seafarers suffering ship abandonment issues without your help.
All donations will be gratefully received because without them we simply wouldn’t be able to provide the financial support that seafarers require in the event of a ship abandonment.
However, this is just one of the many serious issues faced by seafarers that your donations will go towards alleviating. Mental health problems, fatigue from the long hours worked and piracy are just a few of the other serious issues that we can’t address without your help.
If you would like to make a donation to The Mission to Seafarers and help us to provide much needed support to a vital key worker which often goes under appreciated, please head to our donation page.
