The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has announced the theme of its campaign for Day of the Seafarer this year.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, seafarers have faced difficult working conditions including uncertainties about port access, re-supply, crew changeovers and repatriation. Seafarers' rights to be treated fairly remain at the forefront of IMO’s work.

The 2021 Day of the Seafarer campaign is calling for a fair future for seafarers.

The campaign will discuss issues that will still be relevant to seafarers after the pandemic, such as fair treatment of seafarers, fair working conditions, fair training, fair safety, etc.

Hundreds of thousands of seafarers are still working at sea beyond their contracted time and equal numbers are facing financial difficulties, desperate to relieve crew on ships and start earning wages again.

Day of the Seafarer 2021 will provide a platform to advocate for higher standards of working conditions. Seafarers will be invited to share their views about their future in seafaring.

Leading up to the Day, the campaign will release short polls aimed at collecting seafarers' feedback on what a fair future for seafarers includes and looks like.

This dialogue will take place under the hashtag #FairFuture4Seafarers on all IMO social media channels.

For more information on this year’s campaign, visit the Day of the Seafarer webpage.

Source: imo.org