Ten Syrian seafarers have been repatriated from Cyprus after being stranded for five months aboard an abandoned cargo vessel, Mar 4, thanks to the intervention of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).
The ITF’s Cypriot inspector, Christiana Efstratiou, played a crucial role in securing back pay and repatriation for the crew after the Tanzanian-flagged vessel was deserted by its Turkish owners, Mar Marine Shipping LLC.
The ship had been detained at Vassiliko port after reportedly damaging telecommunications cables.
Efstratiou, who had earlier helped the crew secure fairer wages, described the repatriation as deeply emotional.
A Cypriot court ordered the sale of the vessel, with proceeds used to pay the crew their full wages before their flight home.
Speaking at the Cyprus Maritime Conference, ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton highlighted the rising number of abandoned crews worldwide — now estimated at around 300 cases this year.
He stressed the need for stronger protection and the use of digital technology to prevent seafarer abandonment and wrongful criminalisation.
“Technology can prove when a seafarer couldn’t possibly have been involved in illegal activity,” Cotton said, adding that the ITF is working with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Labour Organization (ILO), and shipping companies to ensure governments do not unfairly penalise crew members.
He said ITF is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to improve inspection reporting and better track issues affecting seafarers globally.
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