More ships have been abandoned by their employers than taken hostage by Somali pirates.
In 2020, the number of abandoned ships grew by 80 percent compared with the previous year, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 70 ships and more than 1,000 seafarers were abandoned in 2020, despite the efforts of international organizations, NGOs, and mariners’ unions to create stronger instruments to protect seafarers’ rights and hold ship owners accountable.