By bizn_fun 
Back in 2016, 20 ships were abandoned around the world, according to the ITF. In 2025 the number had ballooned to 410, with 6,223 merchant seamen falling victim. Both of those figures for last year were up by almost a third on 2024.
Geopolitical instability is said to have been a driving factor of the increase in recent years. Widespread conflicts around the world and the Covid pandemic have triggered supply chain disruption and wild variation in freight costs, meaning some operators are struggling to stay afloat.
But the ITF says the growing prevalence of so-called “shadow fleets” could be contributing to the big spike last year.
These ships, typically oil tankers such as the one Ivan is stuck on, are more often ageing vessels of obscure ownership, unseaworthy, likely uninsured, and operationally hazardous. And they typically sail under flags of convenience or FOCs – the ships are registered in countries with very limited regulatory oversight.
The shadow fleet vessels are trying to stay under the radar to help countries such as Russia, Iran and Venezuela export their crude in contravention of Western sanctions.
Take the case of Russia. Following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it has faced sanctions that capped the price it can charge for its crude.
But Russia has found buyers willing to pay a higher price, such China and India, though the latter has now pledged to cease purchases under the terms of a recent US trade deal.