Author: Sarah Eustace

Stella Maris, the global maritime network, is calling for urgent action in response to record levels of ship abandonment, which left thousands of seafarers stranded without pay, provisions, or a way home in 2024. In January 2025, joint IMO/ILO data confirms a staggering 310 ships were reported abandoned last year, a significant increase from 142 in 2023.

Seafarers can spend months aboard vessels as they await resolution of their cases, without any income to send home. In one abandonment case supported by Stella Maris, a group of abandoned seafarers in Kenya faced over a year on their ship with little food and no wages.

Margaret Masibo, the Stella Maris chaplain in Mombasa, Kenya, recalls: “Men were crying, others were shouting, some had withdrawn into silence. For several days, they’d had no food or fresh water. They were starving to death. Since the ship had been abandoned, not a single person had stepped on board to help – until I did. The men had no money and couldn’t disembark because they didn’t have papers to be in Kenya. It was a terrible, heart-breaking sight to see people abandoned so carelessly.”

Margaret Masibo, Stella Maris

Fishers supported in Kenya.

Often the primary breadwinners for their families, their absence can plunge loved ones into financial distress.

“The ripple effects of abandonment stretch far beyond the ship. Whole communities suffer when seafarers are left stranded and unpaid,” Hill added.

Stella Maris provides direct support to seafarers, including food parcels, legal assistance, and pastoral care. However, the charity warns that more needs to be done to prevent this crisis from escalating.

“The world relies on seafarers to keep trade moving, yet they remain among the most vulnerable workers. We must stand together to enforce international laws, hold negligent companies accountable, and provide immediate assistance to abandoned crew to ensure that seafarers’ rights are respected and their dignity upheld. ,” Hill said.

In a recent press briefing, International Maritime Organization (IMO) secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez, underscored IMO’s commitment to addressing the problem of seafarer abandonment, but stressed the need for better compliance with existing regulations.

The chaplain for Filipinos in London has offered prayers, hope and encouragement for the crew of the Galaxy Leader who remain in captivity one year after their vessel was hijacked by Houthi forces on 19 November 2023.

Fr Francisco Cruz CM prayed for the safe return and speedy release of the crew at a special Mass and Vigil organised by global maritime charity Stella Maris to mark the one year anniversary of the crew’s capture. 

“We trust in God to bring those who are in captivity home, to be united with their families,” he said in his homily at the Church of St Anselm and St Cecilia in Holborn, London on 19 November.

About 60 people attended the Mass, including members of the London Filipino community and Stella Maris employees, trustees, supporters and volunteers. Also present were representatives from several maritime organisations and seafarer welfare service providers.

At the Mass, prayers were also said for other seafarers and their families caught up in wars and for those working in war zones, coinciding with the 1,000th day of the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The Galaxy Leader was hijacked while en route to India, and all 25 seafarers on board were taken hostage. The crew consists of 17 Filipinos, two Bulgarians, three Ukrainians, two Mexicans, and one Romanian. 

Stella Maris CEO and National Director Tim Hill MBE said, “It was very moving to see people coming together to pray for the Galaxy Leader crew’s safe release, for their families and for all seafarers operating in war zones around the world. Seafarers are ordinary, hardworking people doing outstanding work to keep global trade moving.

“Alongside other maritime welfare service providers, Stella Maris is actively supporting the crew members’ families in the Philippines and our Stella Maris chaplain and team in Odesa are supporting families in Ukraine,” he said.

Maritime welfare charity Stella Maris insists that the Home Office must do more to protect fishers following a BBC expose of historic cases of modern-day slavery aboard fishing vessels operating in UK waters from Scotland.

BBC One Scotland this week aired a documentary which accuses a Scottish fishing company ‘TN Trawlers’ of modern-day slavery and people trafficking.  Several former TN Trawlers workers were interviewed for the documentary ‘Slavery at Sea.’  The BBC said between 2012 and 2020, the UK Home Office officially recognised 35 individuals from the Philippines, Ghana, India, and Sri Lanka as victims of modern slavery after their cases were referred for review. These workers had been employed by TN Trawlers owned by the Nicholson family and headquartered in Annan, a small town on Scotland’s southern coast.

Stella Maris CEO Tim Hill said the Charity has been supporting fishers caught up in slavery and labour exploitation for over ten years, providing humanitarian and pastoral support, including shelter, food, clothing and financial assistance, as well as signposting them to other organisations for legal and professional advice.  He said that while the vast majority of fishing companies looked after and treated their employees well, those victims identified were invariably from developing countries and were suffering at the hands of a minority of unscrupulous employers. He said the Charity has reported several cases to the police over the years, but found prosecutions ‘painfully slow’, with fishers left in limbo in the UK while their cases are assessed. He said the Charity is providing continued support to mistreated fishers in a small number of ports across the UK.

“We are delighted to see the BBC broadcast this programme bringing some much-needed awareness of a deeply troubling issue,” he said.

“Stella Maris is engaged with a number of agencies in calling for greater urgency in dealing with cases. It is unacceptable to allow these cases of slavery to drift for years on end. It is sending all the wrong signals to rogue employers that think they can behave with relative impunity. Some fishers are stuck in the UK for years, not seeing their families while they wait for justice that may or may not come.  A successful prosecution is necessary to deter appalling and illegal mistreatment of fishers.”

“This is an invisible crime, taking place out of sight at sea,” he said. “The authorities and welfare organisations must get better at recognising what modern-day slavery is, reporting it and supporting swift criminal prosecutions against those few bad operators.”

Mr. Hill said Stella Maris has and continues to provide care for a small number of fishers who have fled their vessels.

“I am in awe of the exceptionally hard work and commitment that my chaplains and volunteers have invested in supporting these people, often going over and above the call of duty, and for that I am humbled and extremely grateful” he said.  Due to ongoing legal process, the Charity is unable to name the men or the accused.

“Escaping the vessel is the last resort for fishers who are terrified of losing their ability to work, so we still do not know the size of the problem among the 2500 or so foreign fishers in the UK,” he said. “And while Stella Maris and our sister charities provide much-needed welfare and financial support for fishers who have escaped, it is critical that law enforcement agencies do more to tackle fisher abuse and slavery, which may require more investment to reinforce their people working tirelessly on the frontline.”

Stella Maris is due to publish its first report on Modern Day Slavery at Sea in Britain later this year.

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BACKGROUND

BBC One Scotland this week aired a documentary which accuses a Scottish fishing company ‘TN Trawlers’ and associate companies of modern-day slavery and people trafficking.

Several former TN Trawlers workers were interviewed by Disclosure for the documentary ‘Slavery at Sea’.

In a statement the BBC said, “A three-year investigation by Disclosure uncovers allegations of modern slavery aboard UK fishing vessels. Reporter Chris Clements hears the stories of migrant workers who came to these shores in search of a better life, only to find hardship and misery. And he explores a world-wide web of exploitation which puts profit before people.”

Between 2012 and 2020, the UK Home Office officially recognised thirty-five individuals from the Philippines, Ghana, India, and Sri Lanka as victims of modern slavery after their cases were referred for review. These workers had been employed by TN Trawlers and its associated companies, owned by the Nicholson family and headquartered in Annan, a small town on Scotland’s southern coast.

Despite these recognitions, the TN Group has consistently denied any accusations of modern slavery or human trafficking, asserting that their employees were treated well and compensated fairly. The company was subjected to two extensive criminal investigations; however, no charges related to human trafficking or modern slavery have been brought to court, even though some of the affected individuals had been prepared to testify for years.

Today is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons; an important opportunity to raise awareness and support to end human trafficking.

The maritime industry, including our busy UK ports, faces particular challenges when it comes to human trafficking. Ships can be used to transport victims across borders, while ports may serve as entry points for trafficked individuals. The isolated nature of seafaring and fishing work can make maritime workers vulnerable, and the complex jurisdictions involved in international shipping can make detection and intervention particularly difficult.

At Stella Maris, we see the devastating impact this crime can have on seafarers and fishers, which often extends far beyond the point of rescue. Our chaplains provide ongoing support to those who have been rescued, sometimes for years, as they await their cases to be heard. During this time, survivors often face isolation, unable to work to provide for their families or travel to see their loved ones. This prolonged period of uncertainty can be emotionally and financially draining, compounding the trauma they’ve already endured.

This is a crisis that needs our collective action. By working together – charities, industry, and government – we can make our seas safer for everyone. This is why we’ve initiated the UK Maritime Anti-Slavery Network, partnering with organisations across maritime, government, charity, academia, and private sectors. Excellent work is already being undertaken but more needs to be done to share knowledge, expertise, and ideas across the sectors, to increase safety and security against modern slavery in the maritime environment.

Today, we recommit ourselves to this important mission and invite you to stand with us in the fight against human trafficking at sea.

hashtag#WorldDayAgainstTrafficking hashtag#EndTrafficking hashtag#TraffickingAwareness
hashtag#ModernSlavery hashtag#Exploitation

A Sea Sunday message from Cardinal Michael Czerny S.J. Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in the Vatican.

More about Sea Sunday here.

To coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10 October, global maritime charity Stella Maris has teamed up with Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS) to provide seafarers with practical and useful tips to deal with the pressures of working at sea.

During their daily ship visiting duties, Stella Maris chaplains in the United Kingdom will start distributing a booklet produced by MHSS called ‘A Guide to Mental Health at Sea’.

The Guide is a compact and comprehensive document which provides seafarers with bite-size tips and strategies to look after their mental health, including the importance of diet, physical health, and socialising with colleagues on board.

“Everyone’s mental health fluctuates in response to life events” said Stella Maris Chief Executive Martin Foley. “For seafarers the ups and downs of life are magnified by many aspects of the job, especially being away from their families for long periods and not being able to control or help with events at home. We are particularly pleased to be working with MHSS to give seafarers some of the tools necessary to improve their own and others’ mental health,” he said.

MHSS Chief Executive Christian Ayerst added, “It’s common knowledge that the stresses and strains of working at sea can have a detrimental effect on crew members’ mental health. However, their anxieties are likely heightened by the extraordinary times we’re living in, with seafarers unable to get off ships or be repatriated because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Our guide is a vital resource for any mariner struggling with their mental health or working with someone who may be suffering. This is why we are looking forward to our partnership with Stella Maris and the positive change this initiative will bring to those onboard,” he said.

By providing a listening ear and a becoming the trusted friends of seafarers, Stella Maris chaplains and ship visitors provide necessary and timely support to seafarers under pressure.

At the height of the pandemic when several cruise ships were moored long-term in Glasgow, the cruise company recognised the significant contribution of faith to the wellbeing of its crew and invited the Stella Maris chaplain on board. He was then able to arrange for regular services for the staff who remained on those ships.

“Stella Maris chaplains and ship visitors worldwide conduct up to 70,000 ship visits a year around the globe. They play an integral part in helping seafarers cope with hugely stressful jobs, and the Guide to Mental Health at Sea now gives them another tool in their armoury,” said Stella Maris Head of Corporate Engagement and Partnerships Ian Stokes.