KARACHI:The Pakistan Navy celebrated World Maritime Day, 2024 on Thursday, with this year’s theme, ‘Navigating the Future: Safety First’.

The year 2024 marks 50 years since the adoption of the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), a key International Maritime Organisation (IMO) treaty regulating maritime safety.

World Maritime Day is observed annually to highlight the maritime sector’s contribution to economic development and raise awareness about the importance of shipping safety, maritime security, and marine environmental protection. This year’s theme is closely linked with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG-7, which focuses on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by facilitating access to clean energy research.

Safety has always been a core value for the Pakistan Navy, which has instituted measures to uphold the “safety first” principle both onboard seagoing platforms and ashore. In his message on World Maritime Day, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf emphasised the need to align national objectives with the global shift towards sustainable and green maritime practices, demonstrating determination, commitment, and resolve.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2024