Shipping has long been an efficient and cost-effective mode of transporting goods throughout the world. As a matter of fact, more than 80 percent of the global trade is conducted via international shipping, thereby, ensuring the smooth running of global supply chains and economies around the world. Thus, focusing on the importance of shipping, peaceful marine environment and seafarers is of utmost importance. In this regard, World Maritime Day is worth mentioning here.
Celebrated every year in the last week of September, World Maritime Day focuses on various themes related to maritime and ocean-related affairs. The idea is to highlight the growing importance of ocean and maritime industry towards the global economy. The day was founded by the United Nations (UN) in collaboration with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) – a specialised agency of UN for regulating shipping, in 1978 to mark the 20th anniversary of IMO’s convention entry into force. This year’s theme of World Maritime Day, ‘Seafarers at the core of shipping industry’ reflects the urgent need to raise awareness about the crucial role of seafarers and shipping services in delivering vitals goods and ensuring efficient functioning of global supply chains during Covid-19.
The role of seafarers has always remained important in transporting goods throughout the world. With the emergence of Covid-19, their role has become more central in delivering essential food and medical supplies globally. What is more poignant is the fact that the world remained oblivious to the crucial role played by those sailors and the humanitarian crises they encountered while on-board. Owing to Covid-19 induced persistent lockdowns and travel restrictions, the contracts of the sailors on-board were extended by months in many cases as crew rotation was called off by the shipping sector during the pandemic. As a result, thousands of seafarers remained stranded at sea for months far away from their families; thereby, increasing their vulnerabilities to fatigue, stress, sickness and accidents. According to International Maritime Organisation (IMO), more than 250,000 seafarers were unable to be repatriated and remained on sea beyond the expiry of their original contract in the ongoing year.
Keeping in view the aforementioned plight of seafarers, Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change is one good step in addressing their concerns. Linked with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, the Declaration was signed by more than 700 organisations and shipping companies in January 2021. The Declaration aims to devise a framework to facilitate timely crew rotation during the pandemic by removing legal obstacles and forging increased cooperation between ship owners and charterers. Not only that, it reflects on the growing need to increase air connectivity between key maritime hubs for seafarers to be repatriated as early as possible. In addition, the Declaration aims to establish and implement health protocols for the seafarers by giving them access to medical facilities ashore. Thus, the Declaration symbolises the importance of the safety and well-being of seafarers in ensuring the smooth running of maritime industry.
Interestingly, this year’s theme on World Maritime Day also emphasises on United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 by reflecting upon the need to educate and train the seafarers to make them effective workers of the future. Hence, seafarers must evolve and educate themselves with the process of automation in order to keep up with the pace of rapid digitalization and technological transformation of commercial vessels. It will help them become more productive in ship operations and survive the digital onslaught. The 1.6 million seafarers worldwide must be fully prepared to take on the new roles in the future created as a result of automation.
Safe, secure and efficient shipping sector is important to ensure the uninterrupted flow of global trade and explore the avenues of blue economy which refer to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth. Unfortunately, the potential of blue economy has been least explored by many littoral states of Indian Ocean Region including Pakistan. In this regard, World Maritime Day can act as a catalyst to sensitize the policymakers to the importance of this untapped sector by creating awareness regarding the importance of shipping, seafarers and marine resources for the economy.
Without any doubt, seafarers are at the heart of efficient shipping sector and global supply chains running the world economy.
The vital services rendered by those stranded seafarers during the pandemic reflect their spirit of professionalism and sacrifice which must be acknowledged and appreciated at the global level.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021