Seafarer abandonment does not always mean a crew has been physically deserted on a dead ship. Sometimes the vessel is still operating, the crew is still working and cargo is still moving, but wages have stopped, contracts have expired, repatriation is being delayed and basic provisions are beginning to disappear.

Julia Gosling and Adam Parnell are joined by Mohamed Arrachedi, ITF FOC Network Coordinator for the Arab World and Iran at the International Transport Workers’ Federation, for a powerful examination of what abandonment really looks like and why it continues despite protections already contained within the Maritime Labour Convention.

Mohamed works directly with seafarers facing unpaid wages, failed repatriation, unsafe living conditions and abandonment. He explains when a situation legally becomes abandonment, why crews should not wait until conditions become desperate before asking for help, and how failures in enforcement can allow abuse to continue.

The conversation also looks beyond the vessel itself. When a seafarer goes months without wages, the consequences can reach an entire family ashore, particularly when that seafarer is the household’s main source of income.

At its heart, this is a conversation about enforcement, accountability and the human cost of allowing abandonment to become normalised.

Resources referenced in this episode:
Seafarer Abandonment Series: Smart Seafaring. A Safe Return
https://youtu.be/fbg_frnyDy0

ITF Seafarers’ Bulletin 2026
https://www.itfseafarers.org/sites/default/files/node/resources/files/ITF-SB26_Layout_RGB-web-1.pdf

ITF Seafarers
https://www.itfseafarers.org

Prefer to read? Head to Yachting News at Yachting International Radio.
Prefer to watch? Find Sea Views on the Yachting International Radio YouTube channel.

────────────────────────────
SUPPORTED BY
CHIRP Maritime & The Seafarers’ Charity
────────────────────────────

https://www.chirp.co.uk
https://www.theseafarerscharity.org

🎙️ Sea Views | Yachting International Radio

Some lives are measured not only by what was achieved, but by what was passed on.

Recorded before his passing, this special episode of Yachting USA preserves the voice, humour and restless imagination of Buddy Haack, a yacht captain, shipyard and owner’s representative, author, mentor and lifelong student of the sea.

Alongside Yachting USA host Rick Thomas and Captain Doug Hoogs, his longtime friend and mentor, Buddy traces the unconventional path that carried him from surfing in Jacksonville to a remarkable career in yachting.

His stories travel from a formative year at sea aboard the schooner Unicorn to earning his captain’s licences, building and commanding high-speed yachts in Italy, bringing M/Y Adler to Havana in 1994 and welcoming Fidel Castro aboard. He reflects on his work with Lürssen, the value of integrity and long-term support, the importance of building yachts in America and the knowledge that must be passed to the next generation.

Even while speaking openly about paralysis, pain and the quality of life he hoped to regain, Buddy’s thoughts repeatedly return to the future: what might still be built, what could still be discovered and what young people entering the industry might one day achieve.

At the time of recording, Buddy was living with rapidly progressing glioblastoma, which affected aspects of his thinking and recollection. This context is shared not to define him by his illness, but to help listeners understand the circumstances in which this deeply personal record was made.

This tribute does not reduce Buddy to a polished memory. It preserves his candour, irreverent humour, extraordinary experiences and enduring sense of possibility because each was part of the man his family, friends and colleagues knew.

“The possibilities are unlimited.”

Featuring:

Buddy Haack
Rick Thomas, Host of Yachting USA
Captain Doug Hoogs, Buddy’s longtime friend, mentor and co-author

Yachting International Radio extends its sincere thanks to Buddy’s wife, Weronika, and his daughters for sharing family photographs and offering thoughtful guidance during the final stages of the production.

Content note: This episode contains candid references to substance use, serious illness, pain, paralysis and end-of-life care.

Read the accompanying editorial:
https://www.yachtinginternationalradio.com/post/the-possibilities-are-unlimited-buddy-haack-and-a-life-shaped-by-the-sea

Watch the full film:
https://youtu.be/k2HNFukeiIY

Yachting USA is a Yachting International Radio production.

With thanks to Engineered Yacht Solutions for supporting this special episode.

Salt, sun, oxidation, hard use and constant pressure to keep everything running. Maintaining a superyacht never stops. But what happens when budgets tighten, crew are stretched and cutting corners starts creating bigger problems than it solves?

In this episode of Yacht Maintenance Unhinged, Tyler Wilson sits down with Sam Powell, Toy Shop Sales Director at National Marine Suppliers, at Superyacht Village in Fort Lauderdale for a candid conversation about yacht maintenance, crew knowledge, budgets, logistics and what it really takes to keep a vessel operational.

After more than a decade with National Marine Suppliers, Sam has worked across almost every corner of yacht support, from deck and engineering supplies to new builds, yacht toys, logistics and emergency problem-solving. That experience has given him a unique view of what happens onboard when maintenance is properly planned, and what happens when it is not.

Tyler and Sam discuss the importance of product knowledge and crew training, including the damage caused by using the wrong chemical on PVC, repeatedly polishing a surface instead of properly maintaining it, incorrectly treating teak or handing an inexperienced crew member a product without explaining how to use it.

Sam also shares the story of accidentally sending a jet ski to the wrong Caribbean island, the extraordinary logistics required to charter a plane and get it to the yacht before charter, and how openly admitting the mistake and presenting solutions ultimately turned a major problem into a stronger relationship with the owner.

Because in yachting, problems are inevitable. What matters is having the knowledge, communication and people around you to solve them.

Yacht Maintenance Unhinged | Yachting International Radio

Hosted by Tyler Wilson
Founder and President, Velluto Products

Guest: Sam Powell
Toy Shop Sales Director, National Marine Suppliers

Sam Powell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-powell-b-sc-hons-mmarcon-29560837
National Marine Suppliers: https://nationalmarine.com

Presented by Velluto Products
High-performance ceramic marine care, freshly blended for yachts, tenders and personal watercraft. Engineered to protect against salt, UV exposure, oxidation and water spotting. Built for life on the water.
https://vellutoproducts.com

Search “Yachting Channel” on your favourite podcast platform for more conversations from across the global yachting industry.

What does marine innovation look like before it becomes the technology everyone is talking about?

As the countdown to FLIBS 2026 begins, The Blue Economy looks back at three companies selected as nominees for the 2025 Marine Research Hub Innovation & Sustainability Awards, revisiting the ideas, technologies and people that caught the attention of the awards programme one year ago.

Host Katherine O’Fallon, Executive Director of the Marine Research Hub, returns to conversations recorded at the 2025 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show with iHoy Captain, Remigo and Vessev.

Osman Onur Cagiran of iHoy Captain introduces a new-generation marine autopilot designed around rapid installation, smartphone control, integrated navigation and route following.
Learn more:
https://ihoycaptain.com/

Peter Brechter, CEO of Remigo North America, discusses the thinking behind Remigo’s lightweight, self-contained electric outboard, including its integrated battery system, aluminium-led construction and approach to making electric propulsion simpler for boaters.
Learn more:
https://remigo.us/

Josh Trout of Vessev explores electric hydrofoiling, reduced drag, lower energy requirements, carbon-fibre construction, low-wake operation, battery development and the opportunity to create vessels that can continue evolving as technology improves.
Learn more:
https://www.vessev.com/

These are three very different businesses, but together they demonstrate exactly what the Marine Research Hub Innovation & Sustainability Awards were created to recognise: practical ideas and forward-thinking technologies capable of moving the marine industry towards a more innovative and sustainable future.

The 4th Annual Marine Research Hub Innovation & Sustainability Awards return at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in 2026, recognising companies and organisations developing solutions across marine sustainability, environmental conservation, renewable energy, eco-conscious products, social impact and other areas of the Blue Economy.

FLIBS 2026 takes place October 28 to November 1 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Marine Research Hub:
https://marineresearchhub.org/

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show:
https://www.flibs.com/

WITH THANKS TO THE AWARDS PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS

The Marine Research Hub Innovation & Sustainability Awards are made possible through the organisations that have supported and championed the programme.
Allini Water Filters
alliniwaterfilters.com
DeAngelo Marine Exhaust
deangelomarine.com
Total Marine Solutions
www.tms-fla.com
Informa Markets
informamarkets.com
Marine Industries Association of South Florida
miasf.org

This is the first of two special throwback episodes revisiting the 2025 nominees as we build towards FLIBS 2026 and this year’s Innovation & Sustainability Awards.

Host:
Katherine O’Fallon
Executive Director, Marine Research Hub

The Blue Economy | Yachting International Radio

Does yachting have industry standards, or does it have industry minimums?

In this episode of The Crew Car, Captain James Battey sits down with Kirsty Porritt for a conversation about crew employment, MLC compliance, management responsibility and the gap that can exist between regulatory requirements and the operational reality onboard.

Kirsty brings experience across superyacht client and operations management, business development, crew employment, crew HR, MLC and compliance, offering a perspective that sits between owners, management companies, captains and crew.

The conversation looks at whether the Maritime Labour Convention adequately reflects the realities of modern yachting, particularly when the operational demands of a private 24-metre yacht can be completely different from those of a commercially operated 100-metre vessel.

They discuss Seafarer Employment Agreements, delayed wages, crew retention, hours of rest, management company accountability and why protecting crew and protecting owners should not be treated as opposing objectives.

They also examine the difference between minimum safe manning and the actual number of people required to deliver guest service, water sports, overnight passages and demanding charter programmes safely.

Kirsty questions whether yachting can realistically have one universal industry standard when every yacht, owner and programme is different, suggesting that good practice may be the more important benchmark.

James takes that argument further: too often, what the industry calls a standard is actually only the minimum.

Because ultimately, happy crew, happy boat, happy owner.

GUEST:
Kirsty Porritt
Superyacht Client & Operations Executive | Business Development | Crew Employment | Crew HR | MLC & Compliance

HOST:
Captain James Battey
Founder | Yacht Workers Council
https://yachtworkerscouncil.com/

📖 Prefer to read?
Head to Yachting News on our website:
https://www.yachtinginternationalradio.com/yachting-news

📺 Prefer to watch?
Find the full episode on YIR YouTube.

🎙️ The Crew Car | Yachting International Radio

“SARS is like Liam Neeson, but about your money.”

In Part Two of this South African yacht crew tax conversation, Rich AF host Charl Minnaar is joined again by Jamie Hadley-Grave CA(SA), founder of Hadley-Grave Accounting & Tax, to go beyond the basics and into the tax questions that start to matter once yacht crew build careers, assets and lives outside South Africa.

What actually happens when you cease South African tax residency? Can you keep property or investments back home? Does income become invisible to SARS because it is paid into an offshore account? What happens when you return to South Africa after years overseas? And what do you do if you have spent years putting your tax obligations off?

Charl and Jamie revisit the seafarer and foreign employment exemptions before digging into the evidence SARS may require, the physical presence test, ceasing tax residency, deemed disposal and capital gains tax, double taxation agreements, offshore income, voluntary disclosure and outstanding returns.

They also look at one of the biggest questions for yacht crew using their overseas earnings to build long-term wealth: whether a South African non-resident can continue buying property and earning rental income in South Africa, and how bond interest and other property expenses affect the tax calculation.

It is practical, very South African and built around the questions yacht crew are actually asking once “I work overseas” stops being a simple answer to anything involving tax.

Host: Charl Minnaar | The Yachting Investor

Guest: Jamie Hadley-Grave CA(SA) | Hadley-Grave Accounting & Tax

Jamie Hadley-Grave:
hadleygraveaccountingtax.co.za
Instagram: @jamiehadleygrave

Rich AF | Yachting International Radio

This episode is provided for general information only and should not be taken as tax, accounting, financial, investment or legal advice. Individual circumstances differ, and listeners should consult an appropriately qualified tax professional before making decisions about their tax position.

What makes a maritime flag worth choosing, and what makes owners stay?

In this edition of Maritime Legal, Malta’s Minister for Sustainable Mobility, Hon. Dr Chris Bonett MP, joins host Dr Jessica Galea, Partner and Head of Yachting at Dingli & Dingli Law Firm, for a wide-ranging conversation about the legal, regulatory and institutional framework behind one of the world’s most recognised maritime jurisdictions.

At the centre of the discussion is a simple principle: the strength of a flag depends on far more than speed, cost or the number of vessels on its register. It depends on legal certainty, regulatory integrity, professional expertise and the confidence owners can place in the jurisdiction long after registration is complete.

Dr Bonett explains how Malta’s close relationship between government, the Malta Ship Registry and the private maritime sector has helped the country respond to an evolving international industry while maintaining the standards attached to the Malta flag.

“Being very quick and very cheap attracts clients. Being serious is what keeps them.”

The conversation explores Malta’s approach to scrutiny and registration, the protection a credible flag provides to yacht and ship owners, the role of the Minister under Malta’s maritime framework, the importance of keeping the Registry within public administration, and how digitalisation and decarbonisation are shaping the next stage of Malta’s maritime development.

Guest
Hon. Dr Chris Bonett MP
Minister for Sustainable Mobility, Malta

Host
Dr Jessica Galea
Partner | Head of Yachting
Dingli & Dingli Law Firm
https://www.dingli.com.mt

Filmed on location at
D-Marin Marina di Valletta
https://marinadivalletta.com

Supported by
Malta Ship Registry
https://maltashipregistry.gov.mt

Prefer to read?
https://www.yachtinginternationalradio.com/post/malta-s-maritime-framework-minister-dr-chris-bonett-on-the-strength-behind-the-flag

Prefer to watch?
https://youtu.be/oOVU1WXc7Ls

🎙️ Maritime Legal | Yachting International Radio

Sailing Black Pearl through heavy weather, taking command of a superyacht, building a business from a barn and finding yourself at Buckingham Palace are experiences few people share, but each offers a revealing perspective on the world behind the vessels.

In this special On The Bridge compilation, Alicia Store, COO of dsnm Ltd, brings together standout moments and previously unseen excerpts from conversations with the captains, entrepreneurs and specialists whose working lives tell the wider story of superyachting.

Derek Munro recalls Black Pearl’s extraordinary capabilities under sail, while Captain Olly Lewis describes the responsibility, pride and satisfaction that keep him passionate about command. OCCAM Marine founders Lee Stevenson and Giles Frankal explain how trusted relationships helped turn their experience at sea into a growing business ashore.

Gill Rodrigues considers the vital role yacht crew play in ocean conservation, Francesca Webster explores changing expectations of yacht ownership, and Cally Cooper discusses what physiological data can reveal about crew stress and recovery. Conrad Empson explains the thinking behind better recruitment checks, while Master Mariner Paul Shepherd shares why confidential incident reporting can help turn one person’s experience into a lesson for the wider industry.

There are personal milestones, too, as Alicia and Dave Store reflect on the recognition that took them to Buckingham Palace, and Captain Chris Halligan recalls the move from commercial shipping to a career in superyachts.

Drawn from separate interviews across the series, these conversations offer an introduction to the people, decisions and relationships behind life in yachting.

On The Bridge | dsnm Ltd | Yachting International Radio

Prefer to watch? YIR YouTube.

Prefer to read? Yachting News on our website.
https://www.yachtinginternationalradio.com

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