🚨 Seafarers Trapped on Sanctioned Tanker: A Humanitarian Crisis in the Persian Gulf

The plight of 19 abandoned crew members aboard the tanker Global Peace has escalated into a full-blown humanitarian crisis, drawing urgent appeals from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) for the UAE to step in.

 

Anchored off Al Hamriyah near the UAE coastline, the vessel holds 17 Indian sailors, along with one Bangladeshi and one Ukrainian seafarer. Shockingly, many of them have been stuck on board for over 15 months – well beyond the 11-month limit established under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) of 2006.

 

“This is a blatant case of abandonment. These men are the invisible casualties of the illegal oil trade, and the UAE must act before this ordeal drags on any longer,” said ITF Inspectorate Coordinator Steve Trowsdale.

 

⚠️ The tanker’s ownership only deepens the scandal. Operated by Glory International FZ-LLC (an Emirati company blacklisted by the U.S. earlier this year) the Global Peace reportedly sails under no valid flag, with no insurance, and with contracts tied to fake ITF agreements. For several crew members, contracts expired more than five months ago, yet their right to return home has been denied in open defiance of international law.

 

The UAE has already emerged as a global hotspot for seafarer abandonment. According to ITF data, 32 ships were abandoned in Emirati waters in just the first eight months of 2025, second only to Türkiye’s 43 cases. The Emirates have still not ratified the MLC – leaving foreign seafarers in its waters dangerously exposed.

 

“With rogue operators like Glory International, seafarers are treated as disposable pawns – exploited for profit and discarded when convenient,” Trowsdale added.

 

🌍 A Global Surge in Abandonment

The Global Peace case has now been reported to the IMO/ILO abandonment database, as 2025 heads toward a grim milestone. By August, 2,648 seafarers on 259 vessels had already been reported abandoned – on track to surpass 2024’s record of 3,133 cases, itself an 87% spike from the previous year.

 

As the UAE expands its maritime footprint, pressure is mounting for the nation to strengthen protections for seafarers. “If the UAE is serious about safeguarding human rights at sea, it must ratify the Maritime Labour Convention without delay,” urged Trowsdale.

 

Source: GCaptain

Picture: en.abna24