When seafarer Mehmet Gulsen stepped on board the Kenan Mete, he thought he was signing up to a pretty standard 7 month contract, and then he’d be home in Ukraine with his young daughter and his dog. But a few months in, things started going wrong, and he ended up abandoned with his crew at a port in the Suez Canal, with no idea when they’d be able to go home.

This week on Kerning Cultures, the strange legal limbo that allows seafarers to wind up abandoned and unable to leave their ships... sometimes for years at a time.

This episode was made in collaboration with 99% Invisible. Check them out wherever you get your podcasts. It was produced by Alex Atack and edited by Katie Mingle, with additional support from Dana Ballout, Zeina Dowidar, Nadeen Shaker and the whole 99% Invisible team. Dilara Çelik provided translation support and Onur Akmehmet was the voice of Mehmet.

You can find a transcript of this episode at our website.

Support this podcast on patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $1 a month.

When seafarer Mehmet Gulsen stepped on board the Kenan Mete, he thought he was signing up to a pretty standard 7 month contract, and then he&rsquo;d be home in Ukraine with his young daughter and his dog. But a few months in, things started going wrong, and he ended up abandoned with his crew at a port in the Suez Canal, with no idea when they&rsquo;d be able to go home.
This week on Kerning Cultures, the strange legal limbo that allows seafarers to wind up abandoned and unable to leave their ships... sometimes for years at a time.
This episode was made in collaboration with <a href="https://99percentinvisible.org/">99% Invisible</a>. Check them out wherever you get your podcasts. It was produced by Alex Atack and edited by Katie Mingle, with additional support from Dana Ballout, Zeina Dowidar, Nadeen Shaker and the whole 99% Invisible team. Dilara &Ccedil;elik provided translation support and Onur Akmehmet was the voice of Mehmet.
You can find a transcript of this episode at our <a href="https://kerningcultures.com/kerningcultures">website</a>.
Support this podcast on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/kerningcultures">patreon.com/kerningcultures</a> for as little as $1 a month.

Stories from the Middle East and North Africa, and the spaces in between. 

Kerning Cultures is produced by Kerning Cultures Network. Support this podcast on https://www.patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $2 a month.

Stories from the Middle East and North Africa, and the spaces in between.&nbsp;
Kerning Cultures is produced by Kerning Cultures Network. Support this podcast on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/kerningcultures">https://www.patreon.com/kerningcultures</a> for as little as $2 a month.

Stories from the Middle East and North Africa and the spaces in between

Kerning Cultures

Stories from the Middle East and North Africa, and the spaces in between. 

Kerning Cultures is produced by Kerning Cultures Network. Support this podcast on https://www.patreon.com/kerningcultures for as little as $1 a month.

Stories from the Middle East and North Africa, and the spaces in between.&nbsp;
Kerning Cultures is produced by Kerning Cultures Network. Support this podcast on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/kerningcultures">https://www.patreon.com/kerningcultures</a>&nbsp;for as little as $1 a month.