The world is connected by oceans; just as the fate of us sailors is connected to the sea. The maritime sector is not only the locomotive of trade and economy, but also the center of the lives of sailors, the unseen heroes of the world. We are the unnamed stars of this sector, the hands working on ships all night long. However, today, in these lines, we have to express a truth: The maritime sector cannot survive while the rights of sailors are violated.

The maritime sector survives with ships that carry 90% of global trade. But we, the sailors who keep these wheels turning, are often ignored. We work for months away from our families, in the middle of the sea, and often under adverse conditions. Psychological pressures, low wages, long hours and poor working conditions pose a great threat to the sector. We, on the other hand, are only burning with the desire to be part of a more just system.