<span style="color: #222222;">Today is National Maritime Day. Each year, India celebrates National Maritime Day on April 5 to commemorate India's first merchant sea voyage in the trading world. The day was first celebrated in the year 1964. On this day in 1919, navigation history was created when SS Loyalty, the first ship of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd., journeyed to the United Kingdom, a crucial step for India's shipping history when sea routes were controlled by the British. The year 2022 marks 59th National Maritime Day.&nbsp;</span><br />”<br />”The day is observed yearly by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. The day is celebrated to show gratitude to the men who spend many months in the sea, carrying out the bulk of India’s trade and commerce at a global level. The theme of the 59th edition of the National Maritime Day 2022 celebrations is Sustainable Shipping beyond Covid-19.&nbsp;<br />”<br />”Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today said India's maritime sector has scaled new heights and contributed to boosting trade and commercial activities. In his message on &nbsp;National Maritime Day, Mr. Modi said that in the last eight years, his government has focused on port-led development which includes expanding port capacities and making the existing systems even more efficient.<br />”<br />”<span style="color: #222222;">He said waterways are being harnessed to ensure Indian products get access to new markets. The Prime Minister said that while the government is leveraging the maritime sector for economic progress and building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, adequate care is also being taken to ensure the marine ecosystem and diversity are safeguarded.</span><br />