The Transportation Ministry of Indonesia said that seafarers are key workers who are part of the nation’s economic backbone.
“Seafarers have an important role as the backbone of the country’s economy,” the ministry’s Director General of Sea Transportation Arif Toha said when opening the campaign of sailing safety, part of the 2023 Seafarer Day, with the theme “Oceans Worth Protecting”, here on Sunday.
The theme was inspired by the 2023 International Day of the Seafarers held by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), namely “Seafarers’ Contribution to Protecting the Marine Environment”.
Toha explained that the Oceans Worth Protecting theme aimed to raise awareness of sailing safety and maritime protection in Indonesia.
“Marine pollution, like oil spills, often happens in Bintan, which borders Singapore. Therefore, I ask who knows of the oil spill to immediately report it,” he said.
He invited regulators, operators, and the public who use sea transportation services, to play an active role in protecting oceans.