National Maritime Day is celebrated on April 5 across the country to commemorate the sailing of the first Indian commercial vessel, SS Loyalty. The ship sailed from Mumbai to London. National Maritime Day is meant to appreciate the contribution of maritime trade to the growth of the Indian economy and the significance of India's strategic location in international trade.

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History

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways started this day in 1964. This year will mark the 60th National Maritime Day.

Significance

This day is considered to be very important for the maritime sector and it is observed annually to honour the history, ongoing development, and forward-looking vision.

The purpose of National Maritime Day is to recognise and honour the significant contribution that the maritime industry makes to the growth of the Indian economy. On this day, an annual award ceremony is organised to honour the many players in the shipping sector. The Sagar Samman Varuna Award is given for outstanding contribution to the maritime sector.

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Theme

The government announces a theme for National Maritime Day every year. The theme for the 60th maritime day has not been announced as yet. Last year, the theme was ‘Sustainable Shipping beyond COVID-19.’

Maritime India Vision 2030

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the ‘Maritime India Vision 2030’ in November 2020 at the Maritime India Summit. It is a 10-year blueprint for the development of the Indian maritime sector.

The vision seeks to improve India's waterways, support the shipbuilding sector, and promote cruise tourism. The Sagarmala project, which was introduced in 2015, will be replaced by it.

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(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)