With the theme "Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet", the Paradip Port observed the 43rd World Maritime Day on Thursday.
Unlike the National Maritime Day, there is no fixed date of celebration of the World Maritime Day. But generally, it is celebrated on last week of September.
It depends on the individual Governments to decide a suitable date for celebration during last week of September, and the DG, Shipping, Government of India, has decided to celebrate the World Maritime Day on September 24 in India this year.
At Paradip, PPT Deputy Conservator Capt AK Mohapatra hoisted the World Maritime Day flag at the Marine Site office. Due to the Covid-19 situation, the celebration was conducted in a restricted manner.
The significance of the day is to emphasise the importance of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for the maritime sector and highlight its contribution towards maritime safety and security and marine environment. It can be simply explained that the day is celebrated for carrying out commercial sea transport in a safe, secured and environment-friendly manner.
The first celebration of the day was done on March 17, 1978 to mark the occasion of enforcing the first convention of IMO in 1958; and since then every year, during last week of September, the World Maritime Day is observed globally.