Visakhapatnam: Highlighting the significance of the maritime sector in global trade and national economic development, Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) celebrated the 62nd ‘National Maritime Day’ on April 5 (Saturday).

The day honours the invaluable contributions of seafarers with the coveted NMD award of excellence, recognising lifetime achievements in the Indian maritime industry.

Marking the occasion, chairperson of VPA M. Angamuthu laid a wreath in remembrance of the sacrifices made by seafarers and received a guard of honour presented by the VPA tug flotilla.

Addressing the gathering, the chairperson emphasised the vital role of the shipping and maritime Sectors in the nation’s progress and reaffirmed VPA’s continued commitment towards enhancing cargo handling and maritime excellence.

Durgesh Kumar Dubey, deputy chairperson, Rajesh Mittal, DIG, Indian Coast Guard, Durga Prasad, Principal, HIMT, Visakhapatnam also paid tributes to the seafarers.

As part of the celebrations, essay writing and elocution competitions were organised for school children, and winners were felicitated with prizes. The event saw enthusiastic participation of heads of departments, secretary of VPA T Venu Gopal, other senior officers, employees, and students, making the occasion a grand success.