April 5 marks the national Maritime Day of India. On this day in 1919 navigation history was created when SS Loyalty the first ship of the Scindia Stream Navigation Company journeyed to the United Kingdom.
The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on 5th April, 1964.
Maritime history goes back to the hoary past, because no country has jurisdiction over the seas, it has been necessary for nations to reach agreement regarding ways of dealing with ships, crews cargoes.
The London-based International Maritime Organisations (IMO) is the United Nations specialised agency responsible for improving maritime safety and preventing pollution from ships. IMO has 158 countries as its members. India became its member in 1959.
Ports: India has about 7516 kilometres of coastline serviced by a total 182 ports, 13 of them under a special status as major ports being under the preview of the Central Government, Seventy others ports termed as a minor ones comes under the jurisdiction of the respective State Government.
In Gujarat minor ports are being adminstered by Gujarat Maritime Board having structure and power to a large extend similar to those of Board of Trust in a major port.
India continues to have the largest merchant shipping fleet among the developing countries and ranks 17th in the world in terms of shipping tonnage. Hence the importance of Maritime Day.
On this day, country renews its abiding faiths in the Importance of maritime zone as well as searoute for an all-round development of the nation.
This year, our Maritime nation will celebrate the 49th National Maritime Day with on the theme of “Safer Maritime Navigation on Indian Coast”.
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