World Maritime Day, established by the UN, offers a perspective on the history, current state, and challenges of the maritime industry. Historically, maritime trade began with the Phoenicians and has evolved into a critical global network connecting countries through shipping and trade. Presently, while the industry faces security, safety, and sustainability challenges, advancements in technology have improved communication and connectivity for seafarers.

1. WORLD MARITIME DAY 2017
CAPT ASHOK MENON

2. World Maritime Day is an official
United Nations day.
World Maritime Day was first held on
March 17, 1978 to mark the date of
the IMO Convention’s entry into force
in 1958.

3. There is no doubt that the Maritime
Industry is all about connecting people
and their resources.
Today the world is dependent on the
Maritime Industry for the majority of
our needs.

4. When we discuss World Maritime Day,
we need to look at it in three
perspectives.
1.History
2.Present Day scenario
3.Challenges for the future

5. 1. History
History helps us to understand our
beginnings and thereby, where we
stand today as we prepare for a better
tomorrow. It teaches us many lessons
of life.

6. Let us go back a few thousands of
years.
We see people in coastal areas
venturing out to sea for fishing.
Later on the sea began to be used for
trade and commerce.

7. The Phoenicians were arguably the
first people to trade via the high seas.
They flourished between 3000 BC
and 500 BC a period spanning nearly
2500 years in Phoenicia, now divided
between Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

9. The Phoenicians traded in a variety
of items such as dates, dye, wood,
oil, wine and other items found
locally. Their empire flourished
across the Mediterranean sea.

11. By around 1300 BC the Egyptians
made their mark in International
shipping connecting peoples
across the continents of Asia and
Africa through trade and
commerce.

13. At around the same time India’s
Maritime History made a good
beginning with trade with
Mesopotamia and the Romans via
the sea link and started the spice
and silk trade..

14. India’s maritime history predates
the birth of Western civilization.
The world’s first tidal dock is
believed to have been built at
Lothal (Gujarat )around 2300 BCE
during the Harappan civilization.

15. Since then India has had robust
maritime trade links with countries
near and far especially Greece,
Mediterranean countries, East and
South Asia.

17. By the third century BC the
Macedonians became a force to
reckon with and took over the
interests of the Phoenicians. The
greatest of them was Alexander
the Great.

18. Alexander created the greatest
empire stretching from Greece to
India. He connected the cultures
and people across oceans and
deserts. He was perhaps the
greatest Emperor of them all.

20. After the Macedonians the
Chinese Junks, the Polynesians
and the Vikings ruled the seas, till
1000 A.D.
Meanwhile the Arabs established
their domain in the Middle East.

21. From the thirteenth century
Northern European countries
formed the Hanseatic League and
took over the maritime trade over
most of Europe.

22. The European Maritime Industry
received a boost with Portugal, when
a maritime school in was started
there. This led Portugal to develop the
most advanced ships, and take over
world trade

24. Soon the British, French and
Spain joined the bandwagon of
global maritime trade and
commerce resulting finally in
where we stand today.

25. 2. Present Day scenario
Today the world is connected across
boundaries resulting in a complete
connectivity between ships, ports and
people. Maritime Industry is central
to this connectivity.

27. Huge passenger ships carrying
thousands of passengers connect
them across the oceans in a
matter of days. They bring with
them the wealth of their culture
and improve the economy.

28. CRUISE SHIP TRACKER

29. Cargo ships carry cargoes to
every corner of the world touching
the life of each one of us. Most of
the items we use in our daily life
has been transported across the
oceans by these ships.

31. Tankers carry millions of tons of oil
to remote places providing much
needed fuel for transport, heating,
cooking etc. The world would have
been out of connect without the
services of these ships.

32. OIL TANKER ROUTES

33. Ports are the facilitators of ship and
cargo movement. They are central to
the connectivity provided by ships.
No ship can travel anywhere without
safe and efficient ports. Thus ports are
an important aspect of this connect.

34. People are perhaps the most essential
and important connection for the
maritime industry. No matter what
developments in technolgy comes
about in the future ship will always
need to be connected by seafarers.

37. Today’s world is all about
connectivity.
Technology has led the way for people
to connect with each other.
Earlier once a seafarer joined the ship
he could only connect with people
ashore once he reached port.

38. With satellite technology this changed
and vessels could contact and be
contacted at any time.
This facilitated both official
communication as well as the seafarers
personal communication needs.

39. Today, with the social media explosion
vessels have internet on board with
Skype , Facebook , Whatsapp, etc,
which ensured 24 hours connectivity
with the people ashore. This perhaps
has been a major boon for seafarers.

40. 3. Challenges for the future
There is no doubt that the major
challenge for shipping is Security,
Safety and Sustainability.
Two recent incidents have highlighted
our vulnerability both ashore and at sea

41. First was the Las Vegas incident where
a lone wolf managed to elude the
sophisticated security set up of the
worlds Super Cop, killing over 59
people and injuring more than five
hundred people at a music festival.

44. Thus we worry about the future safety
of ports and the consequence if a
similar lone psychopath were to board
the ship and unleash violence and death
on the innocent seafarers.
What needs to be done??

45. Second is the standoff between USA
and North Korea. One shudders at the
repercussions of an attack or a war
between the two of them, which would
surely escalate into the World War in
no time, needlessly dragging the world
into a crisis.

47. The question that arises is : Are we
prepared for such a scenario ?
As a country??
As a Flag State?
As a Shipping Company?
As individuals?

48. IMO's efforts to connect ships, ports
and people requires ports and port
facilities to have a well-coordinated,
risk-based preventive strategy to beef
up their security, and this should be a
vital element in port operations.

49. Similarly there is a real fear that the
ISPS on board may be reduced to an
exercise in documentation which may
well result in a security related
incident. Thus we have to prepared in
advance and take it seriously.

50. Safety is another thrust of IMO’s effort
this World Maritime Day. Whether in
port or on board vessels safety is
unfortunately found wanting at the
hands of commercial exigencies. There
is no doubt that Safety must be First.

51. Seafarers can show their concern for
safety in very simple manner – follow
the company SMS in letter and spirit.
Similarly Ship managers must not
count the bucks while maintaining
safety on board vessels.

52. Once again there is a real fear that the
ISM implementation on board many
ships is reduced to documentation.
Reporting of ten Near Misses in a week
do not make for a safe ship. Safety is a
culture which needs to be imbibed.

53. THIRTEEN YEARS LATER

54. Ports and Port Facilities can improve
safety in many ways. Although the list
is large, some of them are as follows:
- Ensuring vessels safety and security
when waiting for and picking up pilots

55. -Ensure proper navigational buoys,
channel markers and so on is in place
-Providing alternative power supplies
for ships in port,
- Perform their functions cleanly and
efficiently.

56. - Include garbage and sludge collection
in port dues and ensure facilities
available at all ports for garbage and
sludge collection. This will be a big
boost towards prevention of pollution
at sea without headache for ships.

57. Sustainability
Energy efficiency and sustainable
development go hand in hand.
IMO has mooted many measures for
energy efficiency such as SEEMP,
VOC Management Plan etc.

58. Now, it is upto the Ship Managers and
Ship staff to ensure holistic
implementation of the same as we look
towards a better and brighter future.
Only then can we bequeath a better
world to our next generations.

60. THANK YOU