Day of the Seafarer, What Are We Really Celebrating?

There’s been a bit of buildup on Twitter and on Facebook these past few weeks about today’s “Day of the Seafarer” and we’ve been a bit hesitant to really jump into it because it seems to be somewhat misunderstood.

Let’s be clear, this is not “give thanks to a seafarer day.”  If you want to give thanks for a seafarer, give thanks to those serving on the warships or coast guard vessels of your respective nations.

Driving ships, working on engines, maintaining a commercial ship… it’s a career choice, not a duty.

It is however, an incredibly important career, steeped in tradition with a truly global impact.  Unfortunately, the seafaring life has gone largely unnoticed and taken for granted by most of the world for as long as it’s been around.

And that sucks.

Working on ships is hard work and it takes an enormous toll on families and on individuals.  When seafarers head to work for months at a time, coming home is sometimes frustrating when your friends and family have no perspective on what you actually did while you were away, besides the obvious fact you were at sea.

If you want to celebrate the Day of the Seafarer, share something interesting about this industry to your friends who may not have any appreciation for what the shipping industry and seafarers do on a daily basis around the world.  This is the whole point of why gCaptain remains a free source of industry news, we want you to share your industry with those who may not have any idea about all the interesting and impactful things that happen at sea.

IMO Secretary General Mr. Koji Sekimizu paid tribute to seafarers around the world recently in this video…

Updated: June 28, 2012 (Originally published June 25, 2012)

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