The visit of the US Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum, in Greece is the first visit of a minister of the new Trump administration.
More specifically, Burgum visited the ONEX Shipyards in Elefsis on September 11.
According to ONEX, this event “highlights the strategic importance of the Group for the revival of the Greek shipbuilding industry and underlines the close cooperation between Greece and the United States in the shipyard sector. The visit confirms that the Group enjoys the trust and support of both governments, which recognize its vision and potential.”
ONEX Group Chairman and CEO & President of the Hellenic Shipyards Association, Panos Xenokostas, welcomed the US Minister, who was accompanied by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou.
Panos Xenokostas presented ONEX Group’s investment plan and the progress of projects in recent years. At the center of the discussions was the financing from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which is a strong vote of confidence in the Group and its strategy for the overall upgrade of Elefsis Shipyards.
“ONEX Elefsis Shipyards is a powerful example of what we can achieve when we work with our allies to realize this administration’s vision for American supremacy in the energy sector,” said Burgum.
He added that “this partnership not only strengthens the economies of the United States and Greece, but also shields our energy infrastructure, while depriving it of critical revenues from adversaries who seek to undermine freedom and stability worldwide. It was excellent to visit this critical energy hub up close, which contributes decisively to the diversification of LNG sources for the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe.”
Having already proven its capabilities in Syros, ONEX continues its dynamic investment in Elefsis, with infrastructure projects, technological modernization and the development of a strong production base of international standards.
The development plan includes:
Construction of large commercial ships and expansion of the shipyard’s production capacity.
Construction of coastal ships and tugboats to strengthen Greek coastal shipping and port infrastructure.
Strengthening defense activity with high-tech projects and close cooperation with international partners.
Development of investments in the energy sector, with an emphasis on energy transition through innovative technological solutions for shipping and the strengthening of competitive economies in the era of artificial intelligence.
Creation of an Integrated Logistics and Innovation Center, as a trade, shipping and technology hub for Eastern Europe.
Xenokostas stressed that ONEX has made a long-term commitment to creating a center of shipbuilding and technological excellence in Greece. He pointed out that the progress of the projects in Elefsis creates thousands of jobs, strengthens the domestic defense industry and puts the country back on the international shipbuilding map.
