National Maritime Day is celebrated in India every year on April 5, celebrating the achievements of the civil shipping industry around the year. The day commemorates the maiden journey of India’s first commercial vessel from Bombay to London. It also raises awareness of supporting intercontinental commerce and the global economy as the most well-organized and responsive approach to transporting goods from one part to another part of the world. National Maritime Day has been celebrated in India on April 5 since 1964. This year, India will celebrate its 60th National Maritime Day. The day raises awareness about international trade and the economy. As National Maritime Day 2023 nears, here’s all you need to know about the history and significance of the day. May the National Maritime Week Serve as an Opportunity to Deepen Our Connect with Our Rich History, PM Modi Tweets.

National Maritime Day History

National Maritime Day was first celebrated in 1964. The day is celebrated on April 5 because, on this date in 1919, SS Loyalty, the first Indian flag merchant ship, sailed from Mumbai to London. Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd was the owner of SS Loyalty. In 1959, India also joined the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is in charge of maritime safety and pollution prevention. The special day is dedicated to all the hardworking men who spend many months in the sea and who carry out India’s trade and commerce at a global level.s

National Maritime Day Significance

National Maritime Day holds great significance as the day honours the country’s maritime prowess. This year is special as 2023 will mark the 60th Maritime Day in India. On this day, people who have contributed to the growth of the maritime sector are honoured with awards. An award named ‘Varuna’ is conferred to those who made an outstanding contribution to the Indian maritime industry. At the Maritime India Summit on April 14, 2016, the Prime Minister of India released a National Perspective Plan as part of the Sagarmala project, for the comprehensive development of India’s 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and 7,500 km coastline of India.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 05, 2023 08:34 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).