Foreword

The Day of the Seafarer is a special observance established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to recognize seafarers' contributions to international trade and transportation, while also calling on the public to pay attention to seafarers' rights and interests and enhance understanding of the seafaring profession.

To better galvanize social attention and support for seafarers, strengthen their professional sense of belonging, and accelerate the development of the seafaring workforce, a coordination meeting for the Day of the Seafarer celebrations was held in our company's meeting room on the afternoon of June 23. Attendees included law enforcement officers from the Seafarer Management Division of Rizhao Maritime Safety Administration and heads of various seafarer dispatching agencies in Rizhao.

HAPPY  DAY OF SEAFARER

First, the law enforcement officers from Rizhao Maritime Safety Administration pointed out that the Day of the Seafarer is a commemorative festival dedicated to all seafarers. They emphasized the need to gradually establish and improve the seafaring workforce and enhance the overall quality of seafarers. The officers also called for thorough study and implementation of the opinions and proposals put forward by Liu Wei, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Transport, at the Forum on Promoting the High-quality Development of Party Building in the Seafaring Workforce held in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province.

They stressed that it is imperative to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of seafarers and resolve their most pressing concerns and difficulties. All seafarer dispatching agencies should prioritize seafarers’ needs and concerns, and while ensuring the standardized operation of their own qualifications, strive to provide better services for seafarers.

At the coordination meeting, heads of all seafarer dispatching agencies elaborated on and exchanged views regarding their respective current operation status. Meanwhile, they shared insights on the Day of the Seafarer-related activities that had already been carried out.

All participating enterprises stated that they would, in light of the actual working conditions on board ships, make every effort to safeguard seafarers’ entitled interests in response to the issues raised at the meeting.

After listening to the presentations, the law enforcement officers from the Maritime Safety Administration advised the dispatching agencies to operate in accordance with laws and regulations, protect seafarers ’ legitimate rights and interests, and strengthen the staffing of full-time management personnel within their companies. They emphasized the commitment to ensuring that every seafarer sailing on the vast ocean can feel safe, valued and cared for.