25 June is the Day of the Seafarer, an annual global event coordinated by the International Maritime Organisation to recognise the unique contributions made by seafarers to international seaborne trade. ECSA, together with its members, celebrates the immense contributions made by seafarers to European shipping, ECSA said in its release.
The Day of the Seafarer was established by a resolution adopted in Manila in 2010, which promotes the revised International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) which ensures an international standard of competency, safety and welfare for seafarers.
ECSA encourages its membership throughout Europe to support the campaign, and is working with its social partner, the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF), on ways to encourage more women to join the seafaring profession.
Throughout the past year, ECSA and its membership have taken steps to make the shipping industry a more attractive and safer workplace for women and to promote equal opportunities for both women and men in the transport sector:
It adopted a growth plan for maritime jobs, growth, attractiveness and competitiveness with a particular focus on women in shipping. It has also submitted a joint proposal with the ETF to the European Commission for funding to enhance the participation of women in shipping.