More than 140 New Zealand seafarers - some as young as 15 - lost their lives during WWII alone and a similar number were taken prisoner.

This Saturday marks Merchant Navy Day, the official day of remembrance for those who served and lost their lives in the Merchant Navy during WWI and WWII.

This year, Tauranga's Merchant Memorial Navy Day is being held on Sunday, September 4, and all are welcome.

'We're trying to remind people the cost to the Merchant Navy, especially during the Second World War, and the large number of ships that were sunk with all their crews lost,” says Captain Ken Camp.

The day will also acknowledge seafarers today who face many difficulties at sea.

'The Merchant Navy today helps to keep you going with petrol for your car and all your clothing comes by ship.”

'People look at a ship and they don't see that there's bodies on it, who are a long way from home.”

The service will be held on Sunday, September 4 meeting at 1.45pm for a 2pm start at The Yacht Club, 90 Keith Allen Drive, Sulphur Point.

The term 'Merchant Navy” includes ships and workers associated with commercial shipping companies used during both world wars.

These ships often operated in dangerous conditions and were targeted by enemy vessels trying to disrupt commerce and trade.

Darryl Pike, Interim Director of the New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa, says the Merchant Navy played an integral role in the war effort.

'As an island nation, Aotearoa has always relied heavily on seafarers to connect us with the wider world,” he says.

'During both world wars, merchant mariners delivered troops, military equipment and cargoes of food, raw materials and fuel. The work they carried out was so important that they were essentially regarded as the ‘fourth service' alongside the navy, army and air force – despite the fact that they were civilians.”

Pike stresses that these men and women were not trained in combat.

'These weren't trained soldiers. They were engineers, radio officers, pursers, cooks and deck hands,” he says.

'Many of these roles still exist in our modern shipping industry – and they continue to play a vital role in keeping our economy afloat.

'It's merchant mariners who carry our trade and maintain ocean links that connect us with the wider world. We rely on them to deliver products to our shores and to send our exports to the far reaches of the globe."