Developing the seafaring industry is a government’s priority- Adhil Saleem

Minister of Transport and Communications, Mohamed Adhil Saleem has said that the developing of the maritime and seafaring industry of the Maldives is a top government priority.

Speaking at the meeting held at Dharubaaruge yesterday evening to mark the International Seafaring Day, Minister of Transport, Adhil said that the Maldivians sacrificed a lot and did hard work in seafaring. However, the hard works of the seamen of the country have been lost today.

The Minister said that the government is working on to build highly skilled seafarers and has put up world class training facility, the Maritime School, which is run under the National University of Maldives. He said that currently 246 students are studying in the maritime school. He noted that many Maldivian seafarers are working as ship captains to mates.

Adhil said that more laws are to be enacted to assist seafarers who find themselves in difficult situations. He said that the Ministry will provide assistance to seafarers no matter how difficult the situation may be and no matter where the seafarer is located.

Last year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) declared June 25 the annual Day of the Seafarer to mark the unique and often overlooked contributions seafarers make to international seaborne trade, the world economy and civil society as a whole.

This year, the IMO has launched an online campaign and is asking people to voice their support for the world's 1.5 million seafarers through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.