India's Directorate General of Shipping has blacklisted 86 vessels following repeated cases of abandonment, wage violations and unsafe conditions affecting Indian seafarers, reported Saint Petersburg's PortNews.

Circular No. XX of 2025, issued on 5 September, revealed that the vessels operated without mandatory documentation, including valid P&I insurance, and in some cases lacked genuine ownership or statutory certificates.

Investigations by the Seamen's Employment Offices and the Crew Branch found widespread abuse, including non-payment of wages, lack of repatriation, detention by port authorities and fraud.

Show Cause Notices have been issued to several Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers Licence companies linked to the vessels. These firms are now barred from deploying Indian seafarers on the listed ships.

Companies currently employing Indian crew must arrange prompt sign-off, repatriation and settlement of entitlements. All involved RPSL firms must submit detailed reports to the Directorate within 14 working days.

Non-compliance will trigger penalties including licence suspension, agency blacklisting and legal action under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, and Maritime Labour Convention provisions.