June 25 is "Seafarers' Day." A captain from Kuribayashi Maritime attended the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's appreciation event as a representative of domestic cargo ship captains.

A commemorative photo with Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Kaneko (second from left: Captain Nishimura) at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Kuribayashi Maritime Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), part of the Kuribayashi Steamship Group, announced that its affiliated captain, Ryota Nishimura, attended the "Seafarers' Day" appreciation event held at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on June 25, Reiwa 8 (2026), as a seafarer representing domestic cargo ships. On this day, appreciation was expressed to the seafarers who support maritime transport, and related parties gathered for a ceremony.

What is "Seafarers' Day"?

"Seafarers' Day" is an international commemorative day established in 2010 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, with the aim of expressing deep gratitude and respect to seafarers who support maritime transport worldwide. In Japan, it is positioned as an opportunity to widely promote the importance of seafarers who support maritime transport.

Much of the food, daily necessities, construction materials, and energy resources we handle daily are transported by ship.

In particular, domestic maritime transport accounts for about 40% of domestic cargo transport, and about 80% of basic industrial materials such as petroleum products, steel, and cement, making it an important social infrastructure that supports Japanese life and industry.

However, the work of seafarers who support this logistics has few opportunities to be seen by the general public, and their roles and attractions are not fully known.

Thus, "Seafarers' Day" is an opportunity to express gratitude and respect to the seafarers who support maritime transport, and to widely promote the social role and appeal of their work.

Kuribayashi President and Captain Nishimura aboard the Shinjumaru

Captain Ryota Nishimura attended as a representative of domestic cargo ships

Seafarers representing various fields, including international cargo ships, domestic cargo ships, and domestic passenger ships, were invited to this year's "Seafarers' Day" appreciation event. Captain Ryota Nishimura, affiliated with Kuribayashi Maritime, attended as a representative seafarer of domestic cargo ships.

Captain Ryota Nishimura of Kuribayashi Maritime was invited to attend the ceremony as a representative of domestic cargo ships in recognition of his daily efforts in safe operations and his long-standing contributions to supporting domestic logistics.

At the ceremony, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism delivered words of appreciation to the seafarers, and a bouquet was presented, expressing respect for the seafarers who support maritime transport.

Kuribayashi Maritime's Commitment

Kuribayashi Maritime will continue to prioritize safe operations, reliably deliver customers' valuable cargo, and strive to create an environment where seafarers who support Japanese logistics can work with pride.

While the work of seafarers plays a crucial role in supporting our lives and industries, their roles and attractions are not widely known. The Kuribayashi Steamship Group will continue to actively disseminate information to deepen understanding of the seafarer profession, using "Seafarers' Day" as an opportunity.

We will continue to cherish the gratitude and respect for seafarers who support maritime logistics, pass on the appeal of the seafarer profession to the next generation, and contribute to the realization of sustainable maritime logistics.

Kuribayashi Steamship Co., Ltd.

Kuribayashi Maritime Co., Ltd. Head Office Location: 2-2-1 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Contact Person: General Affairs Department TEL 03-5203-7981

Homepage: https://www.kuribayashishosen.com/