Despite existing international protections, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has found that seafarers still experience detention and family separation when drugs are discovered on board.
When narcotics are discovered aboard merchant vessels, the human cost often falls disproportionately on innocent seafarers. As outlined by Leyla Pearson, Senior Manager, Legal at ICS, crew members continue to face arbitrary detention, prolonged imprisonment, and separation from families while authorities investigate crimes they did not commit.
The IMO/ILO Guidelines on the Fair Treatment of Seafarers Detained in Connection with Alleged Crimes, adopted in 2025, were intended to address these risks. They reaffirm the presumption of innocence, prohibit arbitrary detention, and outline expectations for how port states should conduct investigations.
Yet evidence collected by the ICS shows that these standards are still widely ignored. In some cases, seafarers have been detained for up to two years without interpretation or translation services, denied the ability to post financial security for release, and left disconnected from their families.
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Prolonged detention has serious physical and mental health implications, with crew members missing key life events while their only connection to the crime is presence on board a vessel exploited by organised criminal networks.
With recent amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention (April 2025) recognising seafarers as key workers, the industry has acknowledged their essential role in global trade. Yet ongoing unfair treatment risks exacerbating workforce shortages as recruitment and retention challenges grow alongside a forecast expansion of the global merchant fleet.
Port authorities are right to tackle drug smuggling, but a more nuanced approach is needed. Treating seafarers as presumptive accomplices undermines both justice and operational efficiency.
Addressing drug trafficking effectively requires coordinated, long-term strategies targeting organised crime, supply chains, and demand, combined with oversight of ISPS Code shore-side compliance and collaboration with unions, freight forwarders, and shipowner associations.
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The IMO/ILO Guidelines provide a roadmap for fair treatment, including due process, access to consular support, interpretation services, and timely repatriation.
Despite this, repatriation requests and other protections are routinely denied, creating a legal and humanitarian gap in the maritime industry.
The issue is no longer just ethical—it is practical. As workforce pressures increase, ensuring that seafarers are treated fairly is essential for sustaining the global shipping industry.
The ICS’s Guide on Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse on Board Ship (2025-2026 Edition) offers detailed guidance on preventive measures, regional cooperation, and best practices for upholding the rights of seafarers.
For more information:
International Chamber of Shipping – https://www.ics-shipping.org/
