ITF urges support for Day of the Seafarer

The ITF and its maritime affiliates will be supporting this year's ‘Day of the Seafarer' on 25 June.

Under the theme of ‘Faces of the Sea’, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) day aims to spotlight the human face of shipping and the sacrifices that seafarers make to provide the vital supplies the world economy needs to function. It is aimed at anyone working within the maritime sector and urges companies to recognise seafarers’ role in their operations and supply chains and be responsible employers by promoting seafarer welfare.

ITF seafarers’ section secretary Jon Whitlow commented: “I am sure our affiliates will embrace this day wholeheartedly and make it a success. I would like to thank them in advance for their positive support and for the publicity they will provide. The day will highlight the invaluable role that men and women seafarers play in all our daily lives, often in difficult or hazardous conditions.”

The IMO has provided a toolkit to help unions post photographs of seafarers and the products they transport on an IMO social channel and generally assist in raising awareness of and support for the day. The toolkit can be downloaded here.

Affiliates can ‘like’ the IMO’s Day of the Seafarer Facebook page here, follow it on Twitter @IMOHQ or @Seafarerday using the hash-tag #thankyouseafarer or view the YouTube videos here.