June 25 – Day of the Seafarer: These sailors who hold the course
Honoring Seafarers: A Vital Force in a Changing World
They are bridge officers, sailors, cooks, mechanics, fishermen, naval personnel, and even airline pilots. Every day, seafarers ensure the transport of goods, the surveillance of our coasts, the supply of energy, the transmission of data, and even food supplies. France has approximately 67,000 professional seafarers, including 16,000 in commerce, 12,000 in fishing, and 39,000 in the armed forces.
Globally, over 1.5 million seafarers participate in a colossal logistical effort: nearly 90% of world trade by volume is transported by sea, according to the IMO. Global supply chains rely on their expertise and daily commitment.
A Life Between Sea and Duty
Working at sea requires unwavering discipline, constant adaptation, and unfailing solidarity. Seafarers face sometimes extreme conditions: navigation in polar zones, storms on the high seas, long periods away from their families. On a ship, team spirit is not a luxury; it is a condition of survival. This culture of mutual aid unites civilian and military seafarers around a common commitment.
In France, this day is also an opportunity to promote connections between the various maritime sectors and to foster exchanges between the Navy, the merchant marine, and fishing. Inter-knowledge between trades is seen as a lever for the future of maritime sovereignty and the renewal of skills.
Recognition Reinforced by the Year of the Sea
The Ministry of Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, the Sea, and Fisheries, in partnership with the Navy, is making this National Seafarers’ Day a highlight of the year 2025. It is part of a strategic maritime context, as the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference is being held this year in Nice.
The organization of this day is based on a decentralized system, coordinated locally by maritime prefects and maritime training establishments: naval school, maritime high schools, higher education institutions. On the program: civil-military ceremonies, cohesion events, awareness-raising actions, and promotion of maritime professions.
A Community, a Heritage, a Future
Beyond the tribute, June 25th reminds us that the sea is a strategic space, both for France and for the rest of the world. Seafarers embody a country’s ability to trade, defend itself, feed itself, and shine. Their role transcends borders and is rooted in a vision of the world focused on action, commitment, and adaptation to the major challenges of tomorrow – environment, security, innovation, sovereignty.
Recognized by the UN as an official day of international observance, the Day of the Seafarer has been celebrated every year since 2011 to highlight this essential but often invisible profession. It is also a way to educate the general public, notably through digital campaigns relayed by the IMO, around a simple message: “Thank you, seafarers.”
June 25th is not just a symbolic date. It is a moment to recognize the essential contribution of those who live and work at sea, often far from the spotlight, but always in the service of the general interest. In a world in search of sovereignty, ecological transition, and resilience, seafarers appear more than ever as strategic actors. Giving them a voice, valuing them, thanking them, is also strengthening our connection to the ocean and preparing, with them, the maritime future of France and the world.
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