Charalampos Simantonis, President of the Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association, highlighted the crucial contribution of shortsea shipping to both the Greek and European economies during his speech at the 9th Naftemporiki Shipping Conference.
As he noted, “the EU is placing shipping back at the center of its strategy and demands decisive action.”
Within this new European framework, the sector’s role is pivotal: “It is of critical importance to the Greek and European economies, not only because it serves as a vehicle for the green transition, but also because it exclusively transports our fuels and connects the islands with the mainland,” he emphasized.
Simantonis underlined the need to send a strong message in all directions supporting the green transition in shipping:
“We must communicate in every way possible the necessity of supporting the sustainable green transition of shipping, which, despite being a leading sector, is left behind, burdened with a series of legislations that impose unrealistic deadlines,” he stated.
Finally, referring to the international presence of Greek shipping, he underscored that “Greek shipping has a leading role on a global scale—as demonstrated by Ms Travlos’ speech at the United Nations—providing the Greek government with the leverage of its worldwide leadership and thereby strengthening the country’s overall position.”
