World Maritime Day was celebrated across the globe on Thursday (29 September). From Trinidad and Tobago, where celebrations in Port of Spain involved the whole community with ship visits and maritime themed activities, to the Pacific, where school children in the Cook Islands got the chance to visit a merchant ship. Maritime training institutes, seafarers, shipping companies and organizations as well as Governments from South Africa to Canada shared their #WorldMaritimeDay stories. A stimulating debate on shipping’s future challenges took place at IMO Headquarters in London (photos), with thousands tuning in worldwide via online participation and hundreds of people submitting their questions to the panel, from Peru to New Zealand. Listen to the entire debate here. On social media, hundreds of thousands of people engaged with the theme - Shipping: indispensable to the world. The day rounded off at IMO Headquarters with the traditional evening reception (photos here).