Everyone is talking about the heroism of the Indian crew of the Dali—the ship involved in the Baltimore disaster. Everyone was in a tizz over the death sentences meted out to eight ex-Navy men in Qatar. But very few have anything to say about the thousands of sailors who work as modern-day slaves on cargo ships. A great many of them are Indian.
Wait, first tell me about Baltimore…
The cargo ship Dali—which crashed into the bridge—has a crew of 21 of which 20 are Indians plus one Sri Lankan. Not much is known about their condition—as they have been reluctant to say very much. But they are reportedly in good condition—and are being monitored by members of the local seafarers association:
[Executive Director Joshua Messick] described them as "rattled" and largely keeping quiet about their situation as the investigation unfolds. "They're not saying much at all to anyone who has been in touch with them," Mr Messick said.
Stuck on the ship: But there is no plan to allow the crew to disembark—since they don’t seem to have visas. They are still working to maintain the ship—which is stuck in the channel. It is unlikely they will be allowed to leave until the investigation is done and no one knows when that will be.
So far, so good: For now, they are well-supplied with food, water and other supplies stocked on the ship for its voyage to Sri Lanka. There is also a lot of gratitude toward the sailors. When the ship suffered a blackout, they sent out an immediate mayday alert—saving many lives. But as their near-imprisonment stretches to months, there will be serious concerns about their mental health.
I didn’t know so many of these sailors are Indians…
Yes, because they’re virtually invisible—hiding in plain sight. For months, news outlets have been reporting on the Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea (explained here). Much ink has been spilled on the threat to global trade, looming shortages in markets across the West—and threats to exports from Asian countries like India. But almost no one seems concerned about the humans whose very lives are at risk—the Indian sailors. Like Ramalingam Elaiyaraja—who told The National he doesn’t even have the right of refusal:
We are never told officially about where we are going next. We only know when we board the vessel. No one tells us that the vessel will go through the Red Sea. What can we do? We work even if we are scared… We are trained to deal with pirates but not drones or missiles.
That last sentence speaks volumes for what passes for ‘normal’ in an Indian sailor’s life.
Indians, Indians everywhere: India is the #3 source of sailors in the world—behind the Philippines and China. And they are of all kinds:
The Indian seafaring population includes about 160,000 professionally certified seafarers (highly skilled merchant navy ‘officers’ and semi-skilled workforce classified as ‘ratings’), who serve cargo ships of various types; and also some 90,000 seafarers, who serve cruise liners. The total population of Indian seafarers is estimated at about 250,000.
The total number of seafarers: 1.5 million. We supply around 12% of the seafaring workforce. The government plans to hike that number to 20% over the next 10 years.
The big surge: The number of Indian sailors has jumped by 270% over the past decade—and the number of certified entry level officers has increased 85%.
A global presence: Even though China is #1, its sailors serve primarily on Chinese ships. Indian sailors are global—perhaps because we don’t build or operate as many ships as China.
But isn't the merchant navy a good job?
Global shipping is excellent business for the companies—but not so much for many of their employees. A recent UN report called it a form of “modern slavery.” Here’s why.
Far from help: The very nature of global shipping makes it very easy to exploit sailors. They are isolated—working on ships far from scrutiny:
[International Transport Workers’ Federation inspector Matt] Purcell says shipping companies hold huge power over their employees, controlling their finances, schedules and when they can leave the ship. He describes it as an “antiquated, feudal system.”
“For centuries it’s been one of the worst regulated industries in the world because of out of sight, out of mind,” he says.
All available research shows that sailors are routinely overworked, underpaid and bullied—kept in working conditions are often unsafe and unsanitary. Take the example of Akash Kumar—who got on board the Ula in Qatar—lured by hopes of high wages and foreign travel. Within days, the ship ran out of provisions, fuel, oil and water. And soon, it experienced a continuous electricity black-out for 19 days.
Point to note: Many Indian sailors are poor, and often take loans to launch their career. As a result, they become a form of bonded labour—trapped between the employer and the moneylender.
Held captive on board: Maritime rules require regular crew rotation. Of the 1.2 million sailors who work on 55,000 merchant ships worldwide—200,000 of them are supposed to be replaced every month by fresh crews. But it rarely happens in a timely fashion. Crews are kept on board for long stretches—without anyone to monitor their well-being. It’s one reason why suicide is common in the maritime industry.
Flags of convenience: That’s the system used in the shipping industry to avoid regulation and taxes. Ships are owned by companies in one country—usually in the West—but sail under the flag of another. They are typically registered in Africa or the Caribbean—where the industry is less regulated and much cheaper.
These countries are also uninterested in what happens to these sailors: "Flag states rarely assume responsibility and stand up for the sailors on the ships in their register," she said. The system is designed to let owners and governments off the hook.
But why do they do it? Treat them this badly?
Because of the changing structure of the industry. Global shipping is more lucrative than ever—but it is dominated by a handful of giant conglomerates. They carry most of the world’s cargo—and make most of the profits. The rest are small companies struggling to survive. There is little incentive to maintain the ships—or their crew—in good order.
A typical example: is Turkey-based Aswan Shipping—which was banned by Australian authorities for its “continued reluctance to meet its most basic obligations”:
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) reported that the Maryam – whose 23 crew members come from Turkey, India and Georgia, among other countries – was unseaworthy. It had no electricity, no running water, no sanitary facilities on board and problems with its safety equipment. Its sister ship, the Movers 3, also had no running water. At one point in detention, it had enough potable water to last its 22 crew members less than three days.
But, but, but: It’s even worse when sailors are simply abandoned. These small companies are quick to dump their ships or sell them for scrap—“when debts pile up, or the cost of repairs becomes too high.” And when they abandon the vessel, they also leave the crew stranded—without money, food or support. Here are cases that happened in a single month in 2023:
- On December 1, 23 Russians were stuck on their bulk carrier in Brazil—on a ship flagged as Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- On December 7, three Georgians were stranded on their Tanzania-flagged icebreaker—which was old and without a functioning engine.
- On December 18, 11 Indonesians working on the Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship were left in the Chinese port of Nansha—without food and water. Point to note: the owner Thousand Star International is “so tiny, there’s virtually no information about the company.”
Data point to note: Around 132 vessels were abandoned by their owners in 2023—an 11% rise from 2022. During the pandemic, around 400,000 sailors were simply left where they were—unable to get home even as late as June 2021.
The rise of the ‘shadow fleet’: The ‘flags of convenience’ have also enabled a phenomenon called ‘shadow fleets’:
This fleet — with its old and poorly maintained vessels and obscure owners that don’t use Western insurance (the industry standard) and frequently change flag registration — now encompasses an estimated 1,400 vessels. They sail the world’s oceans, transporting all manner of goods — especially oil — to and from sanctioned countries like Iran, Venezuela and, most importantly, Russia.
They operate outside the official world of shipping—and beyond regulation. These fleets are directly responsible for the rise in abandonment rates—because they simply have nothing to lose.
The case of Gabon: Shadow fleets account for this tiny African nation’s status as the “fastest growing flag state”—with the greatest number of new registrations on its shores:
[T]oday, 98% of vessels sailing under the Gabonese flag are considered high-risk or have no identifiable owner. If a ship sailing under the Gabonese flag is abandoned, it’s virtually impossible to find the owner, let alone make them pay.
A very hazardous employment: There is no shortage of examples of Indian sailors in peril—in the midst of the so-called boom in their recruitment. They neatly illustrate the many dangers of becoming a seafarer in the shipping trade:
- In 2017, 41 seamen were stuck in ships abandoned by their owners in the port of Ajman in the UAE. They were trapped due to unpaid port fees. Two of the ships were in such bad shape that they were in danger of sinking.
- In 2020, Indian sailors on ships carrying Australian coal were left stranded in Chinese ports because of a diplomatic spat with Canberra. Beijing wouldn’t allow the sailors to go on shore because of Covid protocols. The company left them at sea for months because it would lose money if it hauled the coal elsewhere.
- In 2022, 16 Indian sailors aboard a Norwegian oil tanker were held in Nigeria on false charges of oil theft and piracy. They returned home after nine frightening months on the ship.
- In 2023, nine members of a Greek cargo ship—under a Cameroon flag—spent three months in captivity—after being captured by a Libyan militia.
The bottomline: The global cargo shipping market size was valued at $2.2 trillion in 2021. It is projected to reach $4.2 trillion by 2031—growing at a CAGR of 7% from 2022 to 2031.
Reading list
Politico EU, Al Jazeera and Wall Street Journal have the best reporting on the exploitation of sailors–and the reasons for it. The Hindu has more on Indian sailors who are roped into illegal shipping operations–and end up in jail. New York Times and BBC News are best on the crew in Baltimore. Times of India and Business India have the stats on Indian seafarers in global shipping.
