Day of the Seafarer takes place on Friday, June 25, and Port Saint John will be participating. (Image: Port Saint John/Twitter)
Do not be surprised to hear lots of noise coming from Saint John Harbour over the lunch hour Friday.
Ships across Canada, including at Port Saint John, will sound their horns at 12 p.m. local time to mark Day of the Seafarer.
It is part of a worldwide effort to recognize the role marine workers play and urge governments to prioritize vaccinations for crews aboard ships.
According to the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, many Canadian ship crews have struggled to receive their first vaccine dose and international seafarers are still unable to access vaccines at most Canadian ports.
The association said it can also be challenging for seafarers to schedule vaccine appointments as laws require that a minimum contingent of crew remains on operating vessels at all time.
It notes that these hurdles have been overcome in the U.S. by having nurses board ships at locks or at port vaccination clinics, no matter their home country.
“Our global supply chains don’t function if international seafarers are not healthy. Vaccinating seafarers is the best way we can protect them against COVID-19 and ensure the continued, uninterrupted movement of goods, both at home and abroad,” Wendy Zatylny, president of the association, said in a news release.
“Canada has established safe shore leave protocols and facilitated crew changes to support the welfare of international seafarers; it should now take the next step and ensure all seafarers calling at Canadian ports are vaccinated.”
Canada’s marine industry associations are urging all levels of government to work with the marine sector and unions to accelerate providing vaccines to facilitate mobile clinics at ports and onboard ships.
They also want Ottawa to take a leadership role in ensuring international seafarers calling Canadian ports are prioritized for vaccination as the country’s domestic supply increases.
Ships at Port Saint John will be participating in this "Sound the Horn" initiative at noon, Friday, June 25th – the Day of the Seafarer. #ShoutForSeafarers #DayOfTheSeafarer https://t.co/eex9fh7lth
— Port Saint John (@PortSaintJohn) June 22, 2021
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