Singapore Celebrates Day of Seafarer 2018

25 June marks the annual Day of the Seafarer - a day designated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to recognise the unique contribution made by seafarers from all over the world to international seaborne trade, the world economy and civil society as a whole. For 2018, the theme of the Day of the Seafarer is "Seafarers' Wellbeing", with a particular focus on seafarers' mental health. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), in partnership with Jurong Port, PSA, Singapore Maritime Officers' Union (SMOU), the Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS), and the Mission to Seafarers Singapore (MTSS) organised a gift hamper giveaway throughout June and July to celebrate the occasion. 600 gift hampers filled with mini tool kits, pineapple tarts and luggage straps were given away to crew onboard ships visiting the Port of Singapore. Companies such as ASL Marine Yard, CMA CGM, Fugro, Jaya Bahru Shipping & Trading Co., Keppel Smit Towage, Maju Maritime, MTM Ship Management, NYK RoRo (Asia), Pax Ocean, PIL also partnered with MPA to give away the gift hampers to their ships' crew. On behalf of all our sponsors, MPA would like to thank everyone for helping out with the gift hamper giveaway. The Port of Singapore welcomes seafarers who call at our port. Singapore has established a Welfare Committee for Seafarers to promote the development of welfare facilities and services for seafarers. Over the years, the Welfare Committee for Seafarers has put in place various facilities, welfare programmes and year-round recreational activities to safeguard the health and well-being of seafarers. In addition, MPA provides an annual grant of $150,000 to support the work of the local seafarers' missions in Singapore. This includes the Apostleship of the Sea, the Danish Seamen's Church, the International Lutheran Seafarers' Mission, the Mission to Seafarers Singapore, and the Norwegian Seamen's Church. The annual grant supports a wide range of welfare services for seafarers, ranging from ship visitations to counselling services and pastoral care at the mission centres.