Hundreds of seafarers entered their photos of daily life at sea into a competition celebrating Day of the Seafarer and the winners have now been chosen.

The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) theme for its Day of the Seafarer campaign this year focused on seafarers’ wellbeing, particularly their mental health. We partnered with the IMO to launch a photo competition as part of this campaign, inviting men and women working at sea to share photos of what a ‘Good day at sea’ actually looks like.

More than 1,700 compelling photographs from across the world were entered by seafarers of all ranks, from deck cadet to captain, and spanning dozens of nationalities. They ranged from evocative seascapes, to depictions of onboard camaraderie, to the often long and arduous tempo of life at sea, from oily engine rooms to enclosed spaces.

The entries were reviewed by the IMO’s panel of judges and the winning and shortlisted photos can now be viewed here.

The photo awarded first place is a bold geometric composition, focusing on the deck of a ship and the blue ocean beneath. The overall effect is one of immediate visual drama but with clear underlying references to the swirling rhythms and patterns of life at sea and the solid dignity of the seafarer’s labour. It was submitted by Zay Yar Lin, a Master from Myanmar, who will receive a tablet computer and an action camera.

Second place was awarded to Hanbo, a third mate from China, and there are five third-placed photos. Fifteen further images are highly commended.

The photo competition was organised by the IMO in partnership with ISWAN, and partly sponsored by the North American Maritime Ministry Association (NAMMA).