BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, September 29, 2022 (Ministry of International Transport) –Today, September 29th, we celebrate World Maritime Day under the theme: New Technologies for ‘Greener Shipping’. The annual purpose of the day is to focus attention on the importance of shipping and other maritime activities that are critical to trade on a global and individual level. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of our maritime activities and seafarers has never been more evident. I am positive that many of us never really thought of the significance of the maritime community until we experienced the lack of necessities and the increase in prices due to global supply chain challenges. This day has been and will continue to be an important day in the global arena to spotlight shipping transport which is responsible for over 80% of world trade. We use this day to applaud the dedication, sacrifice and professionalism of over two million seafarers who have served on the world’s merchant fleet, with excellence, in the face of the most recently perceived insurmountable challenges.
This year’s World Maritime Day has a focus on the protection of our main resource, the environment. Governments across the globe continue to place greater emphasis on the protection of the environment and combating the negative impact of global warming, leading to the need for greener shipping among the maritime community. To achieve sustainability, it is imperative that we consider tools and strategies that will assist us in limiting our carbon footprint thus increasing the sustainability of multiple industries and interdependent relationships.
Once again, I wish all of our maritime employees a Happy Maritime Day and challenge us to build our capacity as the smallest independent nation in the Western Hemisphere to accomplish the theme: New Technologies for ‘Greener Shipping’.