25 June 2017 was the 7th Day of Seafarers under the theme of "Seafarers Matter". China held a series of celebrating activities, including an open letter for all seafarers by Mr. Li Xiaopeng, Minister of Transport of China on the exact day, full dress of flags on all the Chinese ships as well as on-board greeting activities presented by Chinese Embassies abroad. In addition, Maritime Safety Administration of MOT announced the 4th list of convenient services for seafarers, and jointly held the “4th China Seafarer Skills Competition” and "Searching for the Most Beautiful Seafarers" with Chinese Seaman & Construction Workers' Union. Moreover, several celebrating events were held in major ports of China as well.
The Ministry of Transport of China published Annual Report of Chinese Seafarers Development 2016 （White Paper）on the Day of Seafarers, which introduced the development status of Chinese seafarers and systematically indicated the development policy and employment situation of the seafarers, providing references for better understanding and supporting seafarers’ career by the public.
The China Seafarer Skills Competition, initiated in 2011 and held every two years in Zhoushan City of Zhejiang Province, was one of the most important events to celebrate the Day of Seafarers. This year’s competition, lasting for 5 days was participated by 525 competitors from 46 maritime education & training institutes and shipping companies. An International Seafarers Carnival was held for foreign crews whose ships were being repaired in the local shipyards of Zhoushan City.
Mr. Ashok Mahapatra, the Director of Maritime Safety Division of IMO Secretariat, attended the opening ceremony of this years’ Competition and delivered a keynote speech.