[080521.EN.BIZ] Rod Stewart's 'Sailing' to Highlight Seafarers' Crucial Role In Global Economy

 

INTERNATIONAL legal and professional services firm Ince has established a global virtual choir from companies and organisations from across the industry to record 'Sailing' - the song made iconic by Rod Steward - in a bid to raise funds to be shared amongst the world's four leading maritime charities: Mission to Seafarers, Sailors' Society, Stella Maris and Seafarers' Charity.

The project is being carried out in partnership with Royal Museums Greenwich and supported by four charities, as well as multi-platinum record producer George Shilling, and award-winning film director Athena Xenidu.

The choir is recording the single to be released on June 25, the International Maritime Organisation's Day of the Seafarer and will be available to buy through the major audio platforms. The money from the record sale as well as donations to the project's Just Giving page, will be donated and split equally amongst the four charities, the company said in a statement.

The initiative aims to ignite important discussions - both within the global maritime community and beyond - on the critical contribution that seafarers make to the global economy and our everyday life, and the exceptional and unprecedented challenges that they have faced, and continue to face, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The project also aims to gain more support for the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change of which Ince is a signatory, and which calls on government bodies to take urgent action to recognise seafarers as key workers and give them priority access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Julian Clark, global senior partner at Ince, said: "While crew welfare is a priority for many ship owners and operators, the coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented operational challenges at sea. This has resulted in hundreds of thousands of seafarers worldwide working aboard ships beyond the expiry date of their initial contracts, going many months and in some cases over a year without seeing their families, which has had significant consequences on their physical and mental wellbeing."

She said that through 'Sing for Seafarers', "we want to make the voices of the seafarers heard and show our support and admiration for the unsung heroes of the pandemic".

The initiative is quickly gaining support from across the maritime industry, including maritime companies, crews and the UK and International Chambers of Shipping. Previews of the single will be available in June. Further information about the campaign and ways to get involved can be found on the dedicated website: https://www.incegd.com/en/singforseafarers.

Source : HKSG / Photo : Discogs.