In 2010, IMO Member States agreed that the unique contribution made by seafarers from all over the world to international seaborne trade, the world economy and civil society as a whole, should be marked annually with a 'Day of the Seafarer'.

The date chosen was 25 June, the day on which milestone revisions to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (the STCW Convention) and its associated Code were adopted at a Diplomatic Conference in Manila, the Philippines.

This year, the celebration will take the form of an online campaign, in which we are asking everyone to voice their support using social networks. On the Day of the Seafarer, we will ask people around the globe to say "Thank you seafarers" on Facebook, via tweets, by posting a video on YouTube, discussing on LinkedIn, or even writing an inspirational blog.

Our aim is to pay tribute to the world's 1.5 million seafarers for the unique and all-too-often overlooked contribution to the well-being of the general public, and we would like to do it using as many social media networks as possible.

By generating interaction on the web about seafarers, we want to show respect, recognition and gratitude to seafarers everywhere. The universal outreach of social media will raise awareness of the vital role that seafarers play in the world economy and, in many respects, in sustainable development, enabling ships to carry than 90% of world trade safely, efficiently and with minimal impact on the environment.

The Day of the Seafarer is also an opportunity to educate the public about issues facing the modern-day seafarer - issues such as piracy. But, most importantly, it is the occasion for us, the world, to say "Thank you, seafarers."

We encourage everyone to participate in this worldwide effort by celebrating and joining us on the web: so please if you want to get involved, take action and download the toolkit featured on this page.

For more information, please contact:

Karine Langlois - New Media OfficerClick this link to view the IMO Day of the Seafarer campaign web pages and promotional resources.