The Council of the IMO, meeting for its 102nd session in London from 29th June to 3rd July, agreed that next year’s theme for World Maritime Day will be 2010: Year of the Seafarer, endorsing a proposal from IMO Secretary-General Admiral Efthimios E. Mitropoulos.
The theme, to be celebrated throughout the year and also at a World Maritime Day parallel event in Argentina, was selected to give IMO and the international maritime community the opportunity to pay tribute to the world’s seafarers for their unique contribution to society and in recognition of the risks they shoulder in the execution of their duties in an often hostile environment.