RMS 1
4 seafarers abandoned on the RMS 1 (IMO 9418963, flag Panama) in Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates, 1 July 2026. ILO case 1805, status: Unresolved.
- Status
- Unresolved
- Abandonment ID
- 1805
- IMO Number
- 9418963
- Flag
- Panama
- Port of Abandonment
- Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates
- Abandonment Date
- 1 July 2026
- Notification Date
- 31 July 2026
- Seafarers
- 4
- Reporting Org.
- International Transport Workers' Federation
Circumstances
No fresh water or food provisions. On 14th July 2026 the vessel went into total blackout due to lack of fuel
Seafarers applied to insurer?: No
Insurance certificate dates: N/A
Updates
11 September 2026: Other
(From the Chief Officer)
It is with great relief and gratitude that I write to inform you that, through the collective efforts of all parties copied herein, approval has been granted for the repatriation of the three remaining Pakistani crew members onboard MT RMS 1 (IMO 9418963), and with hope that all goes smooth from here.
We are scheduled to disembark the vessel on 12 September 2026, with onward travel confirmed as follows:
FlyDubai FZ 333 – 13 September 2026 – Dubai (DXB) to Karachi (KHI) – 0725 / 1040 hrs
FlyDubai FZ 391 – 13 September 2026 – Dubai (DXB) to Faisalabad (LYP) – 0605 / 1010 hrs
Baggage allowance: 40 kg
After more than a year onboard, the last twelve months of which were spent on a non-operational and stranded vessel, there are no words sufficient to express what this means to us and to our families.
On behalf of myself and all crew, I wish to place on record our deepest thanks to:
— Blue Vanguard Marine Services (BVMS), our Crew Managers, who stood by us throughout and provided financial support all this time;
— Helmsmen Manning Services, our crewing agency, for their persistent efforts on our behalf and daily communication with us on our wellbeing
— The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and its inspectors;
— The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the MLC authorities;
— Capt. ***, Harbour Master, Hamriyah Port, and the Sharjah Port Authority;
— Immigration Authorities of UAE
— The Embassy and Consulate of Pakistan in the UAE;
— Capital Shipping Lines;
— The Panama Maritime Authority and the Consulate of Panama in the UAE;
— And every other authority, office, and individual who took up our cause.
Many of you had no obligation to us, yet you acted. We will not forget it.
With folded hands and with sincere respect and prayers, thank you all and we expect no seafarers should get stuck in the legal battles between relevant commercial parties.
10 September 2026: International Maritime Organisation
It is duly understood that the flag State Panama has enquired with the ship’s crew as well as with the maritime authorities of the port State United Arab Emirates for the reason for the visa denial so that the flag State Panama could explore alternatives and provide for assistance.
Therefore, and since there was no further following up on this enquiry, I would kindly invite the maritime authorities of the flag State Panama and Port State United Arab Emirates to urgently provide for an update what actions have been undertaken to resolve this severe abandonment case.
7 September 2026: Panama
(From the Panama Maritime Authority)
I am ***, and I have been assigned the RMS 1 case.
Could you please let me know the reason for the visa denial?
I need to have all the information so I can explore alternatives and assist you.
20 August 2026: International Maritime Organisation
I herewith forward these very urgent request for assistance again regarding the extremely critical situation onboard ‘RMS 1’, in particular to the flag State Panama, the port State United Arab Emirates, and the seafarer State Pakistan regarding the 4 remaining crew members from Pakistan for your information and urgent action, as appropriate and to extend all necessary assistance in conformity with the attached joint IMO/ILO Guidelines on how to deal with seafarer abandonment cases.
20 August 2026: Other
(From the seafarers)
Further to my trailing mails we are waiting for arrangements for cooked food and more importantly our repatriation as we are onboard more than 1 year and last 11 months we are staying on non operational unsafe and stranded ship which is deteriorating our and our families mental and physical health also we and our families are in deep depression and psychological stress, we need to go back to our families.
We are extremely exhausted physically and mentally. Our families are waiting for us at home and we are under severe stress. We no longer have the strength to continue serving onboard. Our health is deteriorating day by day.
Our cash for food purchase is finished on 12.08.2026 and we do not have any food and cash to purchase prepared food. Please do the needful ASAP. If anything happens to us and our lives than all the relevant authorities are responsible including those who are not letting us signed off from vessel. We purchased food by our own pockets, but no one is taking action for this. We are totally helpless.
Also please note that due to the condition of our generators we can not preserve peovision and prepare food onboard. So kindly make arrangements for cooked/ready food.
It is our humble request with folded hands to all authorities to take necessary actions and arrange our immediate repatriation from this non operational unsafe and stranded vessel on humanitarian grounds to safe our mental and physical health and go back to our home and see our families.
19 August 2026: International Transport Workers' Federation
(From the ITF inspector)
The situation on board remains extremely concerning. Although the port authorities have already provided some basic assistance to the vessel and to the four remaining persons on board, the situation has unfortunately remained largely unchanged. There are currently no sufficient resources available to provide even for their daily meals, with the crew now having to fund their own food.
At this stage, I do not believe it is necessary to repeat every individual non-conformity and link each one again to the relevant MLC standard or other applicable international requirements. The fundamental issue is much simpler: four people are on board a substandard vessel in a desperate situation and urgently need assistance, protection and, above all, to be relieved from this situation and repatriated home.
I am sure that many of you receiving this message have experience with cases where, despite administrative, visa or other restrictions, a practical solution was eventually found. There are a number of parties involved here, and I sincerely hope that by joining our efforts we can find the necessary way forward.
I have been active in the maritime sector for long enough to know that even when a situation appears completely stuck, there is usually a way out. The difficulty is sometimes simply finding the right door and the person who has the authority or possibility to open it.
These four men have already been through more than enough. They should not have to remain on board indefinitely while waiting for administrative obstacles to be resolved. I therefore kindly ask everyone who may have the possibility to influence, facilitate or accelerate this case to please do so, particularly with regard to obtaining the necessary visas and arranging their safe repatriation.
I would greatly appreciate it if we could join forces and make sure that these four persons can finally go home.
Thank you very much for taking the time to look into this matter and for any assistance you may be able to provide.
11 August 2026: International Maritime Organisation
The insurer is: Hydor - refer the attached second report concerning the same vessel which was earlier notified on 8 May 2026 having on board 15 seafarers from India (5), Indonesia (1), Pakistan (4), and Sri Lanka (2) who were abandoned in Hamriyah, United Arab Emirates on 16 January 2026. There are outstanding wages for 5 months. The insurer is: Hydor
31 July 2026: International Transport Workers' Federation
The ship has been under legal arrest since September 2025. The 4 Pakistani seafarers could not depart due to visa rejection. The owners have ceased communicating with the vessel and failed to respond to repeated requests for assistance by the crew. The crew have reported their situation to the local harbour master authority.