Thursday 25 September 2025 is World Maritime Day.
This year’s World Maritime Day theme is “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity”.
The International Maritime Organization says the theme reflects the ocean’s vital role in the world economy, with more than 80% of global trade transported by sea. The ocean is a source of jobs and food for millions of people, a home for countless marine species, and a regulator of the planet’s climate, mitigating the impacts of climate change.
As the largest sector operating in the ocean space, shipping has a central role to play in the protection of the marine environment and management of ocean resources.
The theme emphasizes the link to wider global efforts to protect the ocean including the conclusion of UN Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), the negotiation of a new instrument to address plastic pollution and the third UN Ocean Conference in June 2025.
Arsenio Dominguez Secretary-General, International Maritime Organization, made the following statement: “The ocean sustains life on Earth as we know it. It allows us to breathe and regulate our climate. The ocean brings food to our table, connects people across continents and provides global blue ways for the ships which transport 80% of world trade.
“But our ocean is under threat. Plastic pollution, rising temperatures, acidification, overfishing.
“Our oceans are struggling to keep up with human pressure. The ocean’s decline is not a coincidence. It is driven by human activities, however, that also means that we have the power to reverse it.
“It is our obligation to work collaboratively to reduce pollution, protect marine life and shift to sustainable habits. Protecting and restoring the ocean is not just a duty. It is our opportunity to build a healthier planet, stronger economies and a safer future for generations to come”.
