Mangaluru: The National Maritime Day is being celebrated every year at every ports in the nation. April 5th marks the National Maritime Day of India. The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on 5th April, 1964. On this day in 1919, SS Loyalty, the first ship of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company, journeyed from India to the United Kingdom. Walchand Hirachand along with his friends bought the steam ship SS Loyalty from the Scindias of Gwalior. This occasion was commemorated with the establishment of a National Maritime Day of India, celebrated for the first time on 5 April 1964, and annually thereafter.
The National Maritime Day Celebrations Committee is set up at Mumbai for coordinating the various programmes on the occasion of the celebrations of the National Maritime Day and the Merchant Navy Flag Day and other activities at all major intermediate and minor ports and other places in India and abroad. The principal objective of celebrating the Day is to enable the public to know more intimately about the activities of the Indian Shipping Industry and its role in the economy of the country.
On Merchant Navy Flag Day at New Delhi First Merchant Navy Flag is pinned on the wearing apparel of the Prime Minister of India by the Minister of Shipping. At State level on Merchant Navy Flag Day the First Merchant Navy Flag is pinned on the wearing apparel of His Excellency, the Governor of respective maritime states at Raj Bhavan by local organizing committees.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurates 52nd ‘Merchant Navy Week 2015’
The 52nd National Maritime Week is being observed from 30th March to 5th April, 2015. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on March 30th, 2015 inaugurated the Merchant Navy Week at New Delhi. A high level shipping delegation led by Nitin Gadkahri Minister for Road Transport, Highways & Shipping met the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi in New Delhi on 30th March, 2015 for pinning the first Merchant Navy Flag on the wearing apparel of the Prime Minister of India as a part of the National Maritime Week Day celebration.
National Maritime Day Celebration Committee, Mangalore also had a privilege for pinning the first Merchant Navy Day Flag to Vajubhai Vala Governor of Karnataka at Raj Bhavan, Bangalore at 1130 hrs on Monday 30th March 2015. On this occasion, first Merchant Navy Day Flag was pinned by Capt Santosh Kumar Darokar, Nautical Surveyor –cum- Deputy Director General Shipping (Tech) on wearing apparel of His Excellency and thereafter a ship replica of drilling /research ship as memento was presented to His Excellency.
The prominent members who attended said function at Raj Bhavan were, Principle Secretary, Ports & IWT, Govt. of Karnataka; Ex. Dy. Chairman, NMPT; members from various organizations such as Merchant Navy Officers Association, CMMI, Port User’ Association, Steamer Agents’ Association, Mangalore Marine College, Marine Publication and representatives of shipping companies and ship repairing/service units in Mangaluru.