International Day of the Seafarer Shines a Light on Maritime Workers

Posted on Jun 25, 2023 at 08:06 AM

Today, we raise our anchors and set sail on a journey to celebrate the International Day of the Seafarer! This annual occasion, initiated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), casts a radiant spotlight on the remarkable contributions of seafarers to our global community.

As the sun shines on June 25th, we pay homage to these unsung heroes who navigate the vast oceans, steering the wheels of global trade, and charting the course for economic prosperity and societal growth.

2023 Event Theme: Seafarers, MARPOL, Marine Environment

According to the World Maritime theme "MARPOL at 50 - Our commitment goes on," the campaign for 2023 will examine the role that seafarers play in safeguarding the maritime environment.

The topic refers to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships' 50th anniversary, which controls the environmental impact ships may have when navigating the waters.

It seems like a good moment to consider the current state of affairs as the industry appears to be coming within the net of what is acceptable as we all observe, remember, commiserate, or whatever else is appropriate on Sunday's International Day of the Seafarer (DotS).

Historical Background of International Day of the Seafarer

The 2010 Diplomatic Conference in Manila, which ratified the amended STCW Convention, established the Day of the Seafarer (June 25). Its declared goal is to recognise the invaluable contribution that mariners from all over the world make to global trade on the high seas, the global economy, and civil society at large.

Governments, shipping groups, companies, shipowners, and all other parties are urged to properly and adequately promote the Day of the Seafarer and take measures to meaningfully commemorate it, according to the resolution.

the International Day of the Seafarer was added to the United Nations calendar of annual events. This day is set aside for discussions about themes such as sailors' and seafarers' rights, health, and safety.

The International Day of the Seafarer has a different topic every year; previous themes have included "Seafarers: at the Core of Shipping's Future," "Faces of the Sea," "A fair future for Seafarers," and "Your Voyage - then and now, share your journey."

Industry's future in terms of crew welfare and well-being goals

Even though each seafarer's “journey” is distinctive, they all encounter the same difficulties. We need to consider now how to prepare the sailors of the future with the necessary skills and prevent the growing skills and training gaps, even as we are dealing with the difficulties of decarbonization and digitization.

Shipping needs to develop an action plan and include many maritime stakeholders through collaboration and social discussion to guarantee a smooth transition for the maritime workforce. Of course, the welfare, and wellbeing of seafarers must remain a top priority in these talks.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, seafarers have encountered and are still facing tremendous difficulties. On this day, we honour sailors and give them our gratitude for their devotion and perseverance in making sure that global trade has continued to run as smoothly as possible despite the numerous difficulties they have encountered.

Day of the Seafarer honours significant contributions to the world economy

"Day of the Seafarer" offers us a yearly chance to consider the crucial role that mariners perform. Approximately 90% of global trade is carried out by sailors, who are numerous in the maritime sector. By sea, they ship produced items, raw materials, food, and fuel.

Additional information on sailors and global trade:

• Transporting every sort of cargo are 50,000 commercial ships.
• Merchant ships have been registered in more than 150 countries.
• The world's fleet is manned by more than a million seafarers from almost every nation.

To recognise the Day of the Seafarer, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) urges internet users to assist sailors by posting messages online. Their internet campaign encourages people to utilize social media to express gratitude and respect to seafarers. In the past, the IMO has organised online picture competitions where sailors posted photographs of their happy days at sea.

You can recognize seafarers you know by using the following hashtags on social media:

• #DayoftheSeafarer
• #InternationalDayoftheSeafarer

As we commemorate this day, let us express our gratitude and appreciation for the seafarers who work tirelessly to ensure the smooth operation of maritime activities.