Minister Faiyaz Koya officiating at the Seafarers Day

Seafarers are a crucial part of the maritime industry.

Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport Faiyaz Koya highlighted this while officiating at the Day of the Seafarer celebrations.

Koya says seafarers play a huge role in our economy as they facilitate trade, keep us safe, and at the same time ensure that they keep our islands connected on a daily basis.

The Minister says seafarers risk their lives and leave their families for months to ensure that the maritime industry is running smoothly.

“You transport goods including lifesaving medical equipment and supplies. You are part of the experience, a product in the Fijian tourism industry. So without this noble profession, there would be no maritime shipping.”

Koya is urging seafarers to pay close attention to the new challenges and face them head on, as they will create new opportunities to drive them to be better in the future.

Retired seafarers, seafarers, School of Maritime students and government officials were part of the celebrations on Friday, which began with a march from Suva Civic Centre to the Walu Bay seafarers’ hall.

There are currently 3,480 registered seafarers under the Maritime Safety Authority Fiji.

[Source: Fijian Government / Facebook]