2023 Day of the Seafarer

Theme “Oceans worth protecting”

Message by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Once again, we celebrate the International Day of the Seafarer on the 25th of June. 

This year we highlight seafarers’ contribution to the safety of ships and protection of the marine environment. 

Every day, hundreds of thousands of seafarers are underway on ships, playing a vital role in global trade, transporting cargoes, and ensuring passengers reach their destinations safely.

As the maritime sector continuously works towards making shipping more environmentally sound and sustainable, seafarers play an increasingly important role in helping to protect the health of our ocean and planet.

Every day at sea, they help to enforce IMO’s environment-related treaties by implementing rules on garbage, and sewage, and air pollution prevention.

This year, as we celebrate the 50-year anniversary of our main environmental instrument – the MARPOL Convention - renewing our firm commitment towards the protection of our environment, this remains even more relevant.

As the shipping industry accelerates its support of the global efforts to combat climate change by moving towards decarbonization, seafarers’ voices and actions are key to ensuring a just transition to a zero-carbon future.

All this is to protect our precious oceans, which are the lifeblood of the planet.

Seafarers,

We invite you to share on social media, what you see when you are at sea.

Show us the equipment you use to protect the environment, the special training you received, and tell us how you protect our ocean and planet.

And we invite everyone to use the hashtag #OceansWorthProtecting, whether you are a seafarer yourself or are paying tribute to them. I look forward to seeing your pictures and reading your comments.

Now, it just remains for me to wish you a Happy International Day of the Seafarer 2023！