Day of the Seafarer Celebrated in Georgia
Monday, June 25, was Day of the Seafarer. The day is celebrated annually worldwide, recognizing the men and women who work in the maritime industry. A statement from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), who created the day, read “2017 and 2018 have seen strong momentum in the industry to address seafarer's wellbeing, particularly their mental health. To give further exposure to this important issue, our choice for the 2018 Day of the Seafarer theme is ‘seafarers' wellbeing.’ By addressing the issue of seafarers' wellbeing and particularly mental health, this campaign can inform specific strategies to tackle stress and other issues affecting seafarers' mental conditions - and make the tools available more widely known. The campaign will seek to highlight and showcase best practices and good examples but will also, inevitably, bring out areas of concern and examples of shortcomings.”
In Georgia’s coastal city of Batumi, a formal ceremony was held in honor of the country’s seafarers. Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze made a statement, remarking on both the bravery of sailors and the economic contribution of the maritime industry, saying “The profession of a sailor is one of the most courageous professions. Georgian sailors have always been particularly distinguished with courage and difficult decisions...We all know how risky it is to be a sailor. I want to thank each sailor for their courage and merit in state development. You [sailors] contribute more than 400 million GEL to the state budget annually. This is a very significant input.”
PM Bakhtadze emphasized the importance of integrating Georgia more into the global economy, for which sea transport is crucial, particularly as Georgia envisions and brands itself as a regional transportation hub and crossroads point. He called for increased marine transportation infrastructure and industry development, including education and training to produce internationally-qualified sailors.
“For the first time and symbolically today, a ship named Cadet - which belongs to the Batumi Naval Institute - launched its international route. The fact that a Georgian training ship has received permission to enter international waters shows that Georgia will gradually meet all international naval standards,” Bakhtadze said.
“We have signed a memorandum with all the leading states, including 17 EU countries, allowing you to demonstrate your profession in every part of the world,” Bakhtadze said. In a parallel statement, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Giorgi Cherkezishvili, announced that Germany will recognize Georgian-issued diplomas from maritime academies and institutes. The move will enable Georgian sailors to work in German companies and ships sailing under German flag, opening further job opportunities for Georgian sailors. In 2017, Georgia had 9,500 registered sailors.
For more information on the IMO and Day of the Seafarer, see the IMO website.
By Samantha Guthrie
Photo: International Maritime Organization