Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday afternoon inaugurated the 2022 Posidonia International Shipping Exhibition in Athens, after four years since the last such event was held, as the 2020 Posidonia was cancelled due to the pandemic.

In addressing many of world’s shipping tycoons and executives, Mitsotakis said Greece’s leading shipping sector is facing historic challenge in looking forward, especially in terms of a “green” transition.

 This year Posidonia is being held at the Athens Metropolitan Center, adjacent to the Greek capital’s airport.

“We are now called upon to return to a shipping sector that will gradually transform into energy neutral…and yes, progress has been made, as a greener fleet relates to the protection of the environment and, beyond that, to a significant investment opportunity,” he said.

Mitsotakis added that he has addressed a letter to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to request that ocean-going shipping becomes a European priority. European bureaucracy, he underlined, “has to understand that Greek-owned ships have a significant advantage that will contribute to Europe’s strategic autonomy.”

Greek-owned shipping helps maintain the global supply chain, particularly in the EU, he said, while “green” shipping “will protect our sea and air.”

In addition, current developments, including the war in Ukraine, calls upon shipping to contribute to stability in the world, just as shipping is also key to another issue, the transport of natural gas, he added. Greek shipping “serves as a protection to irrational price increases, which derail state and family budgets – a new challenge for Greek-owned ships transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).”

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