Merchant Navy Day 2017
1 September 2017
Red Ensign raised for Merchant Navy Day
The Red Ensign flag was raised by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Port of Larne and P&O Ferries on Friday to mark Merchant Navy Day.
Merchant Navy Day falls on Sunday and raises awareness of the UK’s ongoing dependence on Merchant Navy seafarers.
Deputy Lord Lieutenant of County Antrim, Liam Kelly, Larne Port Harbour Master Antony Van Damme and Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Paul Reid were joined by invited guests and members of the public in a short ceremony at Larne Port.
The flag was also flown at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s four main offices in Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus.
This was to support a nationwide call from the Seafarers UK charity and the Merchant Navy Association for the UK Merchant Navy’s official flag to be flown on public buildings and landmark flagpoles.
Councillor Paul Reid, Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough said: “As a Borough steeped in maritime history and home to one of Northern Ireland’s biggest ports, we have always depended on merchant seafarers to defend our shores and import vital food and fuel.
“We’re pleased to be supporting the ‘Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day’ in honour of the merchant seafarers who have made the ultimate sacrifice throughout our history.”
In the First and Second World Wars nearly 15,000 merchant seafarers were killed.
Larne Harbour Master Anthony Van Damme added, “We are delighted to be supporting the Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day again this year. The Day gives us an opportunity to not only remember seafarers of the past but to also look to the future. Larne Harbour continues to be a welcoming place for Seafarers and supports their welfare whilst carrying out this vital work.”
The UK relies on Merchant Navy seafarers for 95% of imports, including half our food. The UK has the largest ports industry in Europe. 75% of our exports (by volume) are shipped from UK ports.
Merchant Navy Day has been commemorated since 2000 on 3 September, the anniversary of the sinking of the SS Athenia, the first British merchant vessel lost during World War 2.
Seafarers UK is a leading grant-making charity that helps people in the maritime community, by providing vital funding to support seafarers in need and their families. www.merchantnavyfund.org/merchant-navy-day
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
- For more information go to: www.merchantnavyfund.org/merchant-navy-day
- For Mid and East Antrim Borough Council media enquiries, contact, T: 02825 633531.
- For P&O/Port of Larne media enquiries please contact Joanna Walsh
Irish Sea Marketing Acquisition Manager | Marketing & eCommerce
T: 02828 872194 M: 07917 335 724 E: joanna.walsh@poferries.com
- National Campaign PR Contact is Nick Harvey, Campaigns Manager, Seafarers UK, T: 020 7932 5969 M: 07910 593588 E: harvey@seafarers-uk.org
- The ‘Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day’ Pageantmaster is Bruno Peek LVO OBE OPR T: 07737 262913 E: pageantmaster@mac.com
- More than 400 local authorities throughout the UK have been invited by Seafarers UK and the Merchant Navy Association to participate in ‘Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day’.
- Merchant Navy Day has been commemorated since 2000 on 3 September, the anniversary of the sinking of the SS Athenia, the first British merchant vessel lost during World War 2.
- Seafarers UK is a leading grant-making charity that helps people in the maritime community, by providing vital funding to support seafarers in need and their families. Donations to the charity’s Merchant Navy Fund can be made at www.merchantnavyfund.org