BLUE is pleased to support the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) global online campaign to mark the second international Day of the Seafarer today.
By harnessing the power of social media to reach a mass global audience beyond the shipping trade, the IMO aims to bring seafarers and the shipping industry’s role in global trade and the supply chain to the general public’s attention.
Highlighting the importance of seafarer welfare serves to reinforce the importance of industry action to improve standards and professionalise in its treatment of the workforce. An important part of this process is to raise the profile of the industry outside the shipping world and remind the general public of how much we all depend upon the work of the global seafaring community.
In celebration of this, the IMO is today calling on social network users to highlight and share with their connections an object in their daily life that they can’t live without; to acknowledge that it came by sea – just like 90% of goods around the globe – and then to say “thank you, seafarer”. Posting photos, videos and descriptions of the item on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest today are all encouraged as ways of raising awareness.
Alisdair Pettigrew, Managing Director of BLUE Communications commented: “The Day of the Seafarer is a great platform for everyone, not just those in the maritime industries, to show their appreciation of the pivotal role of seafarers across the the world. Social media is a great channel for uniting communities in a common cause and we will be taking part online today to raise awareness of how much we all rely on the shipping industry in our day-to-day lives.”
Responding to the IMO’s call to action on social networks, BLUE’s twitter account will today be highlighting some of the things transported to the UK by ship that our team just can’t do without.
Senior Consultant at BLUE, and keen runner, Simon Phillips has already decided that he’ll be thanking seafarers for the transport of his running shoes; “I couldn’t live without my trainers. It’s amazing to think that by the time I take my first step in a new pair that they have already travelled thousands of miles by ship from China. It just wouldn’t be possible without the crews onboard – thank you seafarers!”
To find out more about how you can get involved and to download a Day of the Seafarer toolkit, visit:
Day of the Seafarer 2012 also marks the start of Seafarer Awareness Week. BLUE’s Kate Astley will be climbing 130ft up the mast of the STS Lord Nelson on 29 June, in aid of Seafarers UK. For more details please visit her fundraising page.
