Why do we celebrate National Maritime Day every year?

Visakhapatnam has a long and proud history of being a major contributor to the maritime industry. The third-largest port in terms of volume of cargo handled per year, the Visakhapatnam Port plays a crucial role in the import and export domain in the country. Every year, National Maritime Day is celebrated to signify the importance the domain has in the Indian economy. India has been one of the key players on the Silk Route since the pre-independence era, bridging the gap between the European and Middle East countries.

This day, that year

Though the chapter of Indian maritime history began on 5 April 1919, a day to celebrate it was recognized only in 1964. For the first time in history, an Indian-origin ship, SS Loyalty, owned by Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd, flagged off from Mumbai to reach London in 1919. It was a moment of pride for the Indians as the ship voyaged through the British controlled sea routes, marking the commencement of a great journey. Since then, the Indian sea trade never looked back and has always leapt towards greater heights, achieving several milestones in the world of maritime.

Significance of maritime

The National Maritime Day is observed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways every year to highlight the contribution of the sector not just to the Indian economy but also to the world of trade. With 13 major ports and around 200 non-major ports, India is one of the leading cargo traders on the globe. The maritime sector accounts for 65% of the Indian trade value, with 95% of the Indian trade volume being carried out by it.

Maritime India Vision 2030

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has announced the Maritime India Vision 2030, a ten-year project, to bolster the maritime sector through various initiatives. Some of the key focus areas of the 2030 vision are enhancing India’s share in global shipbuilding, developing world-class infrastructure, promoting maritime research and development, and several other goals. The project was announced on National Maritime Day 2021.