Government of Canada celebrates the eighth annual Day of the Seafarer

OTTAWA, June 24, 2017 /CNW/ - Seafarers play an important role in enabling the safe and efficient movement of Canada's international maritime trade that is critical to the success of our economy. In honour of the annual Day of the Seafarer, which takes place tomorrow (June 25), the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, invites Canadians to show their support to all seafarers in Canada and around the world.

The Day of the Seafarer, an official international observance day, is organized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). This year's theme is "Seafarers Matter", which aims to recognize the unique, worldwide contributions of seafarers towards seaborne trade, the world economy, and society as a whole.

On this eighth annual Day of the Seafarer, ports and seafarer centres are encouraged to organize special events and activities that will highlight how much seafarers matter to them. For more information on IMO's Day of the Seafarer 2017 campaign, go to Day of the Seafarer 2017.

Quote

"The Day of the Seafarer is an excellent occasion for people everywhere to pay tribute to the vital role the world's 1.5 million seafarers play in the global economy. Ships carry more than 90 percent of international trade, and it is because of seafarers that these goods are moved to market safely, efficiently and with minimal impact on the environment. I am proud of the Canadian men and women who earn a living at sea and help this country prosper through their hard work and dedication."

The Honourable Marc Garneau
Minister of Transport

Quick Facts

• The IMO is the global, standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping. Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.
  
  
• As a founding member of the IMO, Canada has a long history of working with this organization to advance standards that promote maritime safety and security, protect the environment and safeguard seafarers.
  
  
• Canada has the longest coastline in the world at 243,000 km, with large navigable waterways and many ports of call.
  
  
• In November 2016, the Government of Canada launched the Oceans Protection Plan, a national strategy to create a world-leading marine safety system that provides economic opportunities for Canadians today, while protecting our coastlines and clean water for generations to come. The $1.5-billion strategy is delivering the largest investment ever made to protect Canada's coasts and waterways.

Associated Links

Day of the Seafarer

Oceans Protection Plan

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SOURCE Transport Canada

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