National Maritime Day: April 5

April 6, 2021

Every year the National Maritime Day is celebrated on April 5 in India. The first National Maritime Day was celebrated in 1964. The day is dedicated to seafarers.

About National Maritime Day

The National Maritime Day is celebrated every year to support global economy through sea transport. It also supports safe and sound environmentally responsive way of transporting goods from one part of the world to the other. The theme of National Maritime Day, 2021 is as follows:
Theme: ‘Sustainable Shipping beyond COVID-19’ on the lines of ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ initiative

History

Indian shipping began on April 5, 1919. This is why India celebrates National Maritime Day on April 5 every year. The first ship of India The SS Loyalty sailed from Mumbai to United Kingdom. It was manufactured by the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Limited. This is highly historic as the sea routes were completely under the British control in those days.

Awards

On National Maritime Day, the National Maritime Day Awards are presented. The awards recognise the efforts of people from the Indian Maritime Sector. Varuna award is presented for their long and exceptional contribution. The award consists of a statue of Lord Varuna. Also, the NMD Award of Excellence is presented on this day.

Maritime Day in other countries

The other countries that celebrate Maritime Day are China, Mexico, Pakistan, United States.

World Maritime Day

World Maritime Day is celebrated on September 30 every year by United Nations and also by other international organisations. Just like National Maritime Day, the World Maritime Day is also dedicated to the seafarers. The theme of 2021 World Maritime Day is as follows

Theme: Seafarers at the core of Shipping’s future

Significance of National Maritime Day

India has 43 shipping companies that own more than 1,400 ships. They have a capacity of 12.69 million tonnes. Shipping is the most efficient and cost-effective method of transportation of goods. Therefore, India focuses on maritime security, maritime infrastructure, maritime education and development of maritime standards in its policies.

Day of Seafarer

The Day of Seafarer is celebrated on June 25. The day is celebrated by the International Maritime Organisation and also by other international organisations.