Rustem
7 seafarers abandoned on the Rustem (IMO 8519954, flag Saint Kitts and Nevis) in Ashdod, Israel, 1 June 2026. ILO case 1771, status: Unresolved.
- Status
- Unresolved
- Abandonment ID
- 1771
- IMO Number
- 8519954
- Flag
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Port of Abandonment
- Ashdod, Israel
- Abandonment Date
- 1 June 2026
- Notification Date
- 25 June 2026
- Seafarers
- 7
- Reporting Org.
- International Transport Workers' Federation
Circumstances
Outstanding wages for 2 months. Vessel lacking food and water
Seafarers applied to insurer?: No
Insurance certificate dates: 19th September 2025 to 18th September 2026
Updates
25 August 2026: India
Greetings from Directorate General of Maritime Administration.
With reference to the trailing email, I am directed to request you to provide the latest update on the abandonment case of M.V. RUSTEM (IMO No. 8519954), including the action taken and the present status of the matter, for further necessary action.
5 August 2026: Saint Kitts and Nevis
St. Kitts and Nevis International Ship Registry
Please be advised that this Administration is well aware of this case. Please be advised that mv RUSTEM (IMO 8519954) was issued with non-navigational certificates by the Registry based on the ongoing MLC case. However, the vessel's monitoring revealed the vessel was operational and scheduled to arrive at the port of Ashdod, Israel. The Registry reached out to the Israeli Authorities for assistance with this case.
Unfortunately, since Israel was not a party to MLC 2006, the Authorities could not apply any sanctions against the vessel under this Convention. However, the vessel was inspected and further detained.
Further investigation identified that the vessel has changed her ownership without prior notifications to the Flag, hence all previously issued certification including insurance has been withdrawn. This case has been further escalated to the vessel arrest by the Maritime Court in Haifa. The vessel is currently in the process of liquidation.
5 August 2026: Azerbaijan
I am contacting you from the behalf of the State Maritime and Port Agency under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. We have received information regarding the abandonment of the vessel Rustem (IMO Number 8519954, Flag: Saint Kitts and Nevis). The relevant information has been forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to the information received, four Azerbaijani citizens, who are crew members of a ship owned by a Turkey-registered company, have entered the Israeli port of Ashdod. They had not been receiving their wages for several months and had contacted the ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) in this regard. Currently, the vessel is detained at that port, and negotiations are underway with a lawyer to resolve the issue through the mediation of the ITF.
25 June 2026: International Transport Workers' Federation
Vessel is currently detained by PSC for multiple deficiencies & sub-standard conditions