On September 24, the global community celebrates World Maritime Day. Celebrated annually on the last Thursday of September, this significant day serves to increase attention to ensuring maritime safety, protecting the marine environment, and the sustainable development of shipping.
Sea-news.az reports in 2026–2027, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) marks World Maritime Day under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Ensuring Excellence in Shipping.” The organization emphasizes the importance of not only adopting international standards but also implementing them effectively. This includes enhancing maritime safety, training seafarers, digitalization, decarbonization, and marine environment protection.
World Maritime Day was established in 1978 by a decision of the 10th session of the IMO Assembly. Celebrated on March 17 until 1980, it was later moved to the last week of September.
Oceans play a crucial role in sustaining life on the planet, human livelihoods, and the global economy. Oceans provide roughly half of the oxygen we breathe, serve as a food source for billions of people, and are home to countless marine species.
One of the main objectives of World Maritime Day is to raise international attention to issues related to overfishing, pollution, and the impact of global warming on seas and oceans. Preserving the biological, natural, and recreational resources of the seas for future generations is also among the core priorities.
These issues are of special importance for the Caspian Sea as well. According to UNEP, the level of the Caspian Sea has dropped by approximately two meters since the 1990s. Climate change, increased evaporation, altered water flow, pollution, and habitat degradation are listed among the main factors.
The decline in sea level poses serious risks to ecosystems, fisheries, port infrastructure, and coastal communities across the five Caspian littoral states. According to UNEP estimates, the Caspian Sea level could drop by an additional 8–21 meters by the end of this century.
The entry into force of the Protocol on Environmental Impact Assessment under the Tehran Convention in November 2025 was an important step toward the protection of the Caspian Sea. The document provides for the assessment of potential transboundary environmental impacts of major infrastructure projects implemented in the sea at the request of one of the Caspian littoral states.
This year’s World Maritime Day once again highlights the importance of transitioning from international commitments to concrete practical measures, navigational safety, and the protection of marine ecosystems.
The protection of seas and oceans is not merely a matter of nature conservation, but a shared responsibility affecting all areas of human life and the global economy.
