A maritime operator,
Chief Samuel Obi has described marine business as the engine room of the global economy.
Obi, who made this known in an interaction with The Tide on the operations of seafarers noted that ports all around the world were busy, with cargoes containing goods worth billions.
He said that without shipping, the transportation of bulk vital raw materials, and manufactured goods would be difficult.
Obi, who was the former Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Rivers Seaport said that the role of seafarers in ensuring that the benefits of globalization is evenly distributed can not be overemphasised.
He said “Working on ships transporting cargo is often hard and challenging. Seafarers are likely to spend many hours with tough living conditions and with limited opportunities for social interaction or relaxations.”
The maritime executive posited that the importance of this type of job cannot be neglected, stressing that seafarers face difficult challenges on daily basis.
According to him, “Seafarers often have to face and deal with difficult weather condition and with the constant threat of piracy and shipwrecking.
“Over many years, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other agencies, strove to make seafaring a safer occupation and shipping a greener and cleaner industry.
Seafarers themselves seek to implement and maintain the highest possible safety and environmental standard”.
The operator said that maritime transport industry is central to the livelihoods of billions of people, adding that the industry in turn, relies on seafarers.
He said that without them, the international trade would not succeed.