The Cyprus Shipping Chamber on Tuesday called on its members to sound their ships’ horns on May 1 in whichever port they may be in to honour seafarers on International Workers’ Day.
The move is an initiative by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) ahead of May 1.
ICS invites its members around the world to sound the horns of their ships in port on May 1 at 12pm local time, Cyprus’ shipping chamber said.
“With this symbolic act, the international maritime community wishes to honour the ‘unsung heroes of global trade’, its seafarers, who are keeping countries supplied around the world with basic necessities, fuel and important supplies such as vital medical equipment, not only during the Covid-19 pandemic, but every day,” it said.
The Cyprus Shipping Chamber also said that, as an active member of the ICS for the past 27 years and wishing to demonstrate in practice its appreciation to the 1.6 million seafarers worldwide who keep the world trade in motion, it supports this initiative.
It therefore called on its members to join the initiative and sound their ships’ horns in whichever port they may be.
According to President of the Cyprus Shipping Chamber Philippos Philis the contribution of seafarers in the transfer of world trade is undoubtedly of paramount importance, especially in a time of global crisis. “It is therefore worth acknowledging this through this symbolic ‘applause’ from the ships’ horns.”
He added that it was also important to find the soonest possible viable solutions to issues concerning ship crew changes and to ensure access of active seafarers to medical care on land.
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