Day of the Seafarer 2024 – Safety First and Foremost
Today, on this very important annual occasion, the Day of the Seafarer, INTERCARGO would like to express its heartfelt appreciation of seafarers, the truly unsung heroes of the sea, and their families worldwide. The world’s seafarers support the transport of 90% of the planet’s cargoes and are key to the uninterrupted smooth operation of the global economy.
2024 sees the IMO inviting the industry to focus even more on safety, since never has safety been more important than now. With the ongoing conflicts around the globe affecting the maritime world more than ever, on this year’s Day of the Seafarer it is essential that our hearts and minds are with seafarers and their families, who are the innocent victims of the recent deadly attacks on merchant shipping.
Our thoughts are also with all the seafarers who are being illegally and unlawfully held worldwide in addition to seafarers detained by port state authorities as unwilling accomplices of drug trafficking. We urge Flag States, the IMO and the United Nations to do everything in their power to ensure that merchant shipping becomes safe for seafarers, since the pandemic years proved how reliant we all are on their efforts and dedication.
For 2024, the designated IMO Day of the Seafarer campaign will concentrate on seafarers’ contributions to making the maritime sector a safer workplace. The IMO is therefore keen to engage seafarers and wants them to share their best safety tips on life at sea, whether it’s the protective gear they wear, the equipment they use or the training they receive.
INTERCARGO gives its wholehearted support to this campaign and recognises the part that our seafarers play in keeping themselves and their colleagues safe in these challenging times.
INTERCARGO encourages its members to participate actively in this memorable day by posting relevant photos and videos of their seafarers on their organisations social media feeds with the IMO’s designated hashtag for the day, which is #safetytipsatsea.
More details on the IMO’s Day of the Seafarer 2024 can be found here Day of the Seafarer 2024 (imo.org).
About INTERCARGO: International shipping is vital for the global economy and prosperity as it transports approximately 90% of world trade. The dry bulk sector is the largest shipping sector in terms of number of ships and deadweight. Dry bulk carriers account for 43% of the world fleet (in tonnage) and carry an estimated 55% of the global transport work. Please view INTERCARGO’s messaging via ESG here.
The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) unites and promotes quality dry bulk shipping, bringing together 250 forward thinking companies from 30 countries. INTERCARGO convened for the first time in 1980 in London and has been participating with consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) since 1993. INTERCARGO provides the forum where dry bulk shipowners, managers and operators are informed about, discuss, and share concerns on key topics and regulatory challenges, especially in relation to safety, security, the environment, and operational excellence. The Association promotes its members’ positions to IMO, as well as to other shipping and international industry fora, having free and fair competition as a principle.
