Shipowner lauds seafarers for sustaining international trade

A ship owner, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, has commended seafarers for sustaining economies as they operate on board ships moving essential needs across the world in spite of the COVID-19 crisis globally.

Iheanacho, who is also a master mariner and  the Chairman/ Chief Executive of Genesis Worldwide Shipping, said in a chat that seafarers should be celebrated as the world marks Workers Day on May 1.

He noted that seafarers made huge sacrifices working and staying very long periods away from their loved ones, even at such times as the COVID-19 pandemic when families stay together.

Capt. Iheanacho, however, said that the least would be for the world to acknowledge and truly appreciate the seafarers.

“We recognize the sacrifice that seafarers all everywhere are making. Ultimately, those who work on ships are the ones who are sustaining the world economy.

“Without the economy, we would not have the welfare that people strive to have. So, they are working on ships, they are transporting the world’s international trade and they are making sure that economies stay oiled.

“And really, we owe them a lot. But unfortunately, their toil is not really so readily recognised, because you look at it and you just make an assumption that ships are moving. How can ships move if not for the people who work on them?

“So, I think that we owe them who are here and those who are actually surviving this difficult times with the transit of the pandemic. We really owe seafarers of the world special recognition, to thank them and to show appreciation for the sacrifices that they continue to make.”

Capt. Iheanacho pointed to the fact that “Most of the times seafarers make these sacrifices away from their families and loved ones.

“So, we have to recognize them, we have to thank them for everything that they are doing.

He said it was important to put in place the necessary facilities to ensure that the seafarers’ time on board is made as comfortable as possible.