Many merchant seamen around the world are deprived of basic human rights. Often drawn from the poorest countries for the lowest rates of pay, seamen are frequently at the mercy of rogue ship owners who operate substandard and often dangerous vessels. These owners, in their reckless pursuit of profits, not only drive down the conditions of seafarers but also undermine the viability of decent shipping companies.This book details the deplorable conditions that exist in a minority sector of international shipping operating mainly, although not exclusively, under flags of convenience. In a horrific account of human rights abuses that would be little tolerated in the countries of the ship owners, the authors demonstrate that governments often pay little attention to cases of robbery, abandonment, deprivation and even death perpetrated by these ship owners or on vessels bearing their national flag. The financial and shipping institutions that support substandard ship owners are also prepared to ignore the plight of the individual seafarer serving on the ships under their tenure.The authors draw on case studies to illustrate the issues, including a perspective on Adriatic Tanker Company of Greece and examples of incompetent management and the reckless finance provisions in merchant shipping. The authors also examine the plight of seafarers' families, who are particularly vulnerable, and the legal rights of abused and abandoned seafarers. They conclude by arguing for global governance of shipping.