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Indonesia shows more appreciation for the ocean on World Seafarers Day
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he Transportation Ministry’s Directorate General of Sea Transportation, in collaboration with Women in Maritime (WIMA) Indonesia, is holding a series of Maritime Safety Campaign activities, which started on Sunday in Bali, in commemoration of World Seafarers Day 2023.
The program, which lasts for two days, is an important opportunity to appreciate the role and contribution of seafarers in the national and international economy. Every year on June 25, the Day of the Seafarer, also known as World Seafarers Day, is recognized worldwide to highlight the valuable contribution seafarers make to international trade and the world economy. Indonesia is an archipelagic country, and therefore, seafarers play an integral part in the country’s economy.
Transportation Ministry Sea Transportation Director General Arif Toha revealed that this year’s celebration carried the theme of “Seafarers’ Contribution to Protecting the Marine Environment”, which is in line with the theme of World Maritime Day 2023.
"This theme is in line with the theme of World Maritime Day 2023, which is ‘MARPOL at 50: Our commitment continues’ and is celebrated with an international campaign titled #OceanWorthProtecting," said Director General Arif.
Through the campaign, the Directorate General of Sea Transportation encourages seafarers to actively contribute to preserving the marine environment. Seafarers, who spend most of their time at sea, are expected to become agents of change in protecting and preserving marine ecosystems.
"The Directorate General of Transportation realizes the importance of shipping safety and protection of the marine environment. The sea is an important trade route that connects countries and provides prosperity for society. However, risks and dangers at sea need to be minimized to ensure sustainable shipping safety," said Director General Arif.
More than seafarers, the ministry also invites the general public and other stakeholders to participate in their own way. #OceanWorthProtecting invites all parties involved in the shipping industry, from ship crews, employers and maritime authorities to the general public, to actively participate in maintaining safety at sea. The aim of the campaign is to encourage increased awareness of the importance of shipping safety, protecting children and future generations, as well as reducing marine pollution.
Improving connectivity
To remain relevant and keep up with the times, the Directorate General of Sea Transportation has committed to introducing changes and innovations to improve the quality and safety of sailors. One of the newest innovations introduced at this year's Seaman's Day celebrations was the launch of a new edition of books that provide guidelines for fishermen.
"The Transportation Ministry is also continuing to improve services and ease document processing for seafarers, including by increasing security and new entries in the Seaman's Book, which will be officially launched today," said Director General Arif.
The new initiative is aimed at regulating rules for sea farers accordingly to make their jobs safer. Moreover, with the rise of digitalization in the nation, the ministry has also made it possible to distribute the books online. The venture to the new platform is expected to improve access and employ the necessary Seaman's Book materials without having to come to the head office, which simplifies administrative processes and improves service efficiency.
Accolades for women’s empowerment
During his speech, Director General Arif further emphasized that seafarers were key workers who had an important role as the backbone of a country's economy. While the industry is male-dominated, women also play an integral part in its diversity.
Therefore, on this auspicious occasion, the Indonesian government, through the Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Transportation Ministry, appreciates the figure of female seafarers who have made a major contribution in realizing connectivity throughout the archipelago. Two Indonesian women were given the Award for Female Seafarers of Pioneer Ships and the Award for Female Seafarers of Passenger Ships.
"Indonesia is proud to have strong female sailors who are not afraid to brave waves and storms in order to be able to take our brothers and sisters back to their regions, as well as deliver logistical needs to the 3TP area. Once again, I congratulate the award recipients," said the Director General.
The 3TP area stands for remote areas around the country that are the most disadvantaged, located on the outermost and frontier on the border areas.
Celebration on the Island of the Gods
To celebrate the joyous occasion, the Directorate General also held an annual routine agenda: the Sailing Safety Campaign. The program, which was first initiated in 2017, is in line with the #OceansWorthProtecting campaign, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining and protecting the sea. This year, the campaign was carried out at Padangbai Harbor in Bali.
The celebration was attended by the chair of Women in Maritime (WIMA) Indonesia, Chandra Motik, officials within the Transportation Ministry, heads of UPT Offices in the Bali Region, PT Pelni main director Tri Andayani, SOEs directors, association chairmen, Kadishub Karangasem Bali Regency, Karangasem Regency Government, Indonesian Seafarers and Cadets from the Surabaya Poltekpel.
The location of the campaign was chosen for several reasons. For one, Padangbai Harbor is always busy with domestic and international tourists, and it is one of the sea accesses to Lombok Island and vice versa.
This port serves 27 RoRo passenger ships, two LCT ships and 22 Fast Boats. Because of the number of people that go through the harbor on a daily basis, more precautions have to be taken to ensure the safety of all.
"In this year's Shipping Safety Campaign, the theme is ‘Oceans Worth Protecting’, where we invite the public, maritime community, maritime authorities and all parties involved to play an active role in preserving the oceans we love because the sea deserves to be protected, said Director General Arif.
In addition, it is hoped that this Maritime Safety Campaign activity will increase awareness of the importance of shipping safety because it is a shared responsibility among all stakeholders.
"For this reason, we also invite all parties, from ship operators, fishermen and service users to tourists, to prioritize safety while at sea, for example, by starting with the use of life jackets and other preventive measures to protect ourselves and others," Director General Arif added.
All attendees who participated in the activity were provided with 200 life jackets, mainly for ship operators and the maritime community at Padangbai Port. The officials also handed over Pas Kecil to traditional boat owners under GT 7 in the Padangbai village area.
According to the ministry, Pas Kecil is a Ship's Nationality Certificate intended for ships with a tonnage of less than a GT 7, which mostly consist of traditional boats and fishing boats.
"Hopefully the provision of life jacket assistance can be useful and further increase awareness to maintain safety at sea and ensure that every journey at sea is safe and comfortable," said Arif.
Furthermore, Arif advised all ranks of the Class IV Padangbai Port Authority and Harbormaster Office (KSOP) to continue to provide the best service and carry out supervision to ensure the fulfillment of shipping safety aspects on ships operating in the Padangbai Port work area.
"Today's activity is also a good means of providing shipping safety education to the younger generation, especially children, because a safety culture must be instilled from an early age through methods that children like, for example by drawing and coloring activities or through fun fairy tales," he concluded.
