InterManager Calls for Global Effort to Address Criminalisation of Seafarers

InterManager has called upon maritime stakeholders to join a new campaign aimed at raising awareness about the criminalisation of seafarers, an issue that has seen increasing concern within the industry.

The International Ship Managers’ Association, known as InterManager, has issued a statement expressing its deep concern over the increasingly harsh treatment of ship crews in various parts of the world.

InterManager plans to gather and compile statistics on criminalisation incidents, which it will share with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and other key stakeholders in the shipping industry. The aim is to ensure that the collected data is as comprehensive as possible. 

To achieve this, InterManager is calling on other shipping organisations, maritime colleagues, and seafarers themselves to report any cases of criminalisation they are aware of.

Captain Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of InterManager, has identified a significant concern within the shipping industry regarding the unfair detention of seafarers: 

“Most frequently senior officers are detained, although the whole crew can be, and held without charge for long periods of time and often without any proper legal representation or assistance,” said Captain Szymanski.

Although still in the early stages of data collection, InterManager has already identified 118 cases of criminalisation. The preliminary data, spanning from 1989 to 2024, shows an alarming increase in the number of cases, with the highest peak in 2023, recording 23 cases, followed by 17 cases in 2024. 

Criminalisation incidents have been reported worldwide, with the most frequent occurrences in Asia, followed by Europe and the Americas.

One notable case in recent years is that of Polish Captain Andrzej Lasota. Captain Lasota spent two years in a Mexican jail without trial after being charged with “negligence in failing to be aware that the ship he commanded may have been carrying prohibitive substances”. 

The charge came after 240 kilograms of cocaine was uncovered in his ship’s coal cargo during discharge. The drugs were discovered by an alert ship's officer and reported to the authorities by the Master, who immediately halted cargo operations.

The entire crew was arrested by armed military forces and detained for three months, while Captain Lasota faced a longer incarceration, with the potential of a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking. 

His family, supported by the Cypriot and Polish governments, and maritime organisations such as InterManager, campaigned for his release. After a 592-day ordeal, Captain Lasota was eventually released without charge, but in poor health and having lost four stones in weight.

By compiling and sharing data, InterManager hopes to bring about significant change and make sure that seafarers are treated fairly and justly worldwide.

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