Launch of World Maritime Day

Source: Rtbnews

The majority of Brunei Darussalam's marine-based resources contribute more than 95 per cent to the nation's Gross Domestic Product,GDP. They include hydrocarbons or Oil and Gas, as well as fisheries and shipping activities in which seafarers play a significant role. It is therefore hoped that the World Maritime Day would help raise awareness on the necessity of these seafarers, as well as on the importance of ensuring their safety whilst at sea, so as to enable them to continue contributing to the nation's economy for the benefit of the people.

The facts were revealed by the Minister of Communications, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah at the launch of World Maritime Day.This year's celebration carries a theme,"The Year of the Seafarer".

In today's global economy, hundreds of millions of people in the world are depending on the shipping industry to transport a large amount of essential commodities including fuel, foodstuffs, and other products for the world population. Despite the industry's huge and continuous contribution, most people still consider the shipping industry or career as seafarer as less attractive. It's more disappointing when the workforce made up of seafarers are looked down, though they are the main machinery in the shipping industry that promotes the global economic growth.

According to the Marine Department's Seaman Books publication, since the year 2000, more than 2 thousand seafarers are currently involved in the Maritime Industrial sector in Brunei Darussalam, of which only 500 are local.

This number is expected to increase with an anticipated rise in demand in the shipping industry brought about by the new methanol tanker transport service; the need to establish a national shipping line; and the encouragement for foreign listed vessels to register in the country
which needs the involvement in the career as seafarers.