The National Maritime Day
5 April marks the National Maritime Day of India. On this day in 1919 navigation history was created when SS Loyalty, the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd., journeyed to the United Kingdom, a crucial step for India shipping history when sea routes were controlled by the British.
One more Maritime Day has come by….
At least on this day, let’s make a collective effort to apprise our society and its policymakers, the relevance and significance of shipping industry, which often decides the pace, structure and pattern of development of a fast-growing economy like India…….
At least on this day, let’s get together to recognise the yeomen service being rendered by our seafarers for the well being of each one of us, while living in a highly hostile environment- one day in the scorching heat of equator and the next in the freezing cold of arctic…. one day in the peaceful waters of Newzealand and the other day in the war zones of Somalia… weeks and months away from their dear and near ones……
At least on this day, while enjoying the luxury of our newly built airport, let’s remember that for hundreds of our fellow countrymen in Andaman or Lakshadweep, the small ships reaching their small seaports after weeks of waiting are their lifelines and the pulse of their social lives….
Friends, as in previous years, we at Kochi are celebrating the National Maritime week which will culminate with the public function at 5:30pm on 5th April 2018, at Merchant Navy Club.
