East Hampshire District Council honoured the work and sacrifices of the Merchant Navy on Friday 3 September, by flying the Red Ensign over its headquarters at Penns Place.
Cllr Ingrid Thomas, EHDC Vice-Chairman, raised the flag and spoke of the seafaring heritage in her family.
“One of my great grandfathers was a master mariner and sailed out of Charlestown in Cornwall while another was a coastguard,” she said.
“My father was a Royal Marine and my cousins both volunteer for the RNLI in Cornwall, so my family knows a little bit about life at sea and the perils of the ocean.
“Merchant Navy Day is a great opportunity to remember the enormous contribution made to this island’s way of life over many centuries.”
The event was launched in 2015 to remind the public of the UK’s ongoing dependence on merchant seafarers who are responsible for more than 90 per cent of the UK’s imports.