Human Rights at Sea Charity Closes Due to Lack of Funding

As concerns around seafarer welfare continue to mount, a UK-based NGO that has long championed the rights of those working at sea has announced it will shut down.

Human Rights at Sea (HRAS), a charity established 11 years ago by David Hammond, is closing its doors after being unable to secure a viable financial and operational foundation for the future.

“We simply could not continue financially unsupported despite every effort, and often a significant personal cost to those involved,” Hammond stated in an email sent to Splash.

The closure comes at a time when the maritime sector faces persistent challenges, including crew shortages, seafarer fatigue, cases of abandonment, and increasing attrition rates.

Coinciding with this news, the International Labour Organization (ILO) is currently meeting in Geneva to review potential updates to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), a key international agreement that outlines standards for the working and living conditions of seafarers.

“Human rights apply at sea as they do on land,” HRAS posted in a final message on its website.