This year, IMO has announced that the Day of the Seafarer campaign will be focused on seafarers on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seafarers around the world work tirelessly to ensure essential goods, like food, fuel, medical supplies and hospital equipment are delivered – the things we need to survive and, eventually, beat the coronavirus.
But restrictions on travel have left many seafarers stranded on board their ships, unable to be replaced by relief crews or be repatriated home.
IMO, the UN maritime agency, has been working with Governments to ease travel restrictions for seafarers and help them get medical assistance when they need it. Seafarers’ House has echoed this call, as well as many other seafarer focused organizations and countries around the world.
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim issued a personal message to seafarers: “You are not alone.”
Please come back soon for more information on the details of the 2020 Day of the Seafarer campaign.