Maritime transport workers of Azerbaijan celebrate their professional holiday
Maritime transport workers of Azerbaijan celebrate their professional holiday, says press center of Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company.
By the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, of June 19, 2014, " Day of Seafarer" is celebrated in Azerbaijan each year on June 25.
This year, the staff of the State Marine Agency under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Azerbaijan Republic and Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company celebrated their professional holiday together.
On the day of the professional holiday, the Azerbaijani sea transport fellow workers first visited the Martyrs’ Lane and paid tribute to the National Leader Heydar Aliyev.
Mr. Gudrat Gurbanov, director of the State Marine Agency and Mr. Rauf Valiyev, the Chairman of the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company laid wreaths and flowers at the grave of the National Leader.
Fellow workers of the marine organizations of Azerbaijan also commemorated the prominent ophthalmologist and academician Zarifa Aliyeva and laid flowers at her grave.
They also paid tribute to the heroes and sailors, who sacrificed their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
Then an event was held on the occasion of a professional holiday.
The ceremony was opened with the national anthem and followed by the address of Rauf Valiyev, the Chairman of ACSC, who congratulated sailors on the occasion of their professional holiday.
Further, Mr. Veliyev presented a report on the activities of the Shipping Company for the last five years, while speaking about the reforms carried out and the work done during this period. The Chairman of the Company noted that in order to accomplish the tasks set, ACSC aims to build an influential and mobile shipping company that provides competitive seafaring services in line with international standards. It is also the goal of the Company to provide commercially effective activities, make a significant contribution to the process of transforming Azerbaijan into an international transport and logistics hub and to achieve the development of highly qualified local personnel in the shipping industry.
Substantial reforms and structural changes have been achieved since the establishment of the Closed Joint Stock Company "Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company". The Company managed to introduce SAP system modules in accordance with international standards for the preparation of financial statements, and established a Central Dispatch System, Electronic Supply System, and a unified corporate computer network. At the same time, the Company has carried out measures to optimize communication of ships with coastal units. Electronic maps have been installed on ships.
Rauf Vaiyev also gave detailed information about the youth and talent policy pursued by the Shipping Company, including measures aimed at preserving the leading position of the Caspian Sea Fleet in the Caspian Sea, activities undertaken by the Shipping Company to restore operation of the Company outside the Caspian Basin and to renew the fleet. He stressed more than 20 ships were included in the fleet of the ACSC that over the past 5 years. These are modern vessels involved in both commercial operations and oil and gas operations. Rauf Valiyev, having touched upon the issue of the restoration of activity by the Shipping Company outside the Caspian Sea, drew attention of participants to substantial efforts taken in this field. He said that 13 vessels were commissioned in the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions in the past five years.
Expressing the intention of the Shipping Company to continue further large-scale projects in this direction, Rauf Valiyev added that the Azerbaijani Caspian Sea Shipping Company primarily relies on the support of state, in particular, on the constant attention and care of the distinguished President Ilham Aliyev.
Gudrat Gurbanov, Director of the State Marine Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan congratulated the sailors on their professional holiday and noted that the policy of the development of maritime transport in Azerbaijan has been formed thanks to the unique talent and ideas of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the founder of Azerbaijan Statehood, in the field of state- building, and this care and attention has been successfully followed by incumbent President Ilham Aliyev.
Following the collapse of the USSR, the fleets of many countries fell into decay, but in Azerbaijan, this sphere has been preserved precisely thanks to the efforts of the founder of our statehood, National Leader Heydar Aliyev. During the years of independence, thorough reforms have been carried out in the maritime transport sector. As a continuation of the far-sighted policy, as well as the statehood ideas of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the large-scale creative work have been successfully implemented today in the sphere of maritime transport, a strategically important sphere of the country's economy. In general, the accelerated development of maritime transport today, along with other sectors of the country economy, Azerbaijan’s involvement in the formation of transit transport corridors, the enhancement of security in the field of maritime transport and the preservation of the marine environment are the result of the hard work of President Ilham Aliyev.
Gudrat Gurbanov also touched upon the issue of joint activities of the State Marine Agency with the influential UN body - the International Maritime Organization and other international organizations, stressing that the dynamic development of the country's economy has also been affected by sea transport. As a result of targeted measures implemented thanks to the attention and care of the President on the field of maritime transport, strict compliance with the requirements of the International Conventions was achieved in connection with the improvement of safety in vessels sailing under the flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan and with the prevention of marine pollution.
Congratulating the participants of the event once again, Mr. Gurbanov, expressed his confidence that the sailors will continue to make every effort to achieve subsequent development of sea transport under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
Other guests of the ceremony spoke about the positive changes and trends that have been observed in recent years in the development of maritime transport.
Ziyad Samadzade, the Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship of the Milli Majlis noted in his speech that the current operation of 160 year old Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company, which follows international requirements evokes a sense of pride. The member of the parliament also noted the contribution that the Shipping Company makes to the development of the Azerbaijani economy.
After the speeches, the distinguished workers were awarded with honorary badge "Honored Worker of the Navy" on the occasion of the "Day of Seafarer".
According to the outcomes of the activities of the Closed Joint Stock Company "Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company" for the year of 2017, diplomas were awarded to the winners in the following nominations: "The Best Ship of the Year", "The Best Captain of the Year", "The Best Mechanic of the Year", "The Best Electrician of the Year", "The Best Sailor of the Year" , "Best Motorist of the Year", "Best Boatswain of the Year", "Best Shiprepairman of the Year", "Best Teacher of the Year" and "Young Seaman of the Year".
Later, the song "Dənizçilər var olsun!" (Long live the seafarers!) dedicated to sailors was presented. The author of the text of the song performed by the people's artist Mubariz Tagiyev is Zamina Khinali, and the composer is Faig Sujaddinov.
In conclusion, an address to Mister İlham Aliyev, the President was accepted on behalf of Maritime Transport Workers on the occasion of the professional holiday “Day of the Seafarer".