Greek shipping’s challenges and prospects as well as Greece’s role in the evolving global landscape were at the centre of discussions during a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), which featured Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Vassilis Kikilias as guest speaker.
In his address, Kikilias stressed the close links between shipping, society and trade.
“Greek shipping is not detached from Greek society or the business community. Quite the opposite. The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry understands this better than anyone. In every region of the country, when you ask when it prospered, the answer is always the same: when its port was thriving and commerce was flourishing,” he said.
The minister pointed to the example of Patras, which experienced significant growth as a transport, manufacturing and logistics hub, adding that its fortunes declined when those activities weakened.
He also described the maritime sector as one of Greece’s most powerful engines of social mobility. “A young person from Western Macedonia, whose family may have had little to offer financially, can go to sea, work for 12 to 15 years, become a captain, engineer or executive, buy a home, start a family and continue a professional career ashore for another 25 years. That is a pathway to a dignified life. This opportunity should be available fairly and transparently across Greek society,” he said.
On his part, ACCI President Ioannis Bratakos highlighted the sector’s enduring strength and the opportunities ahead.
“The great opportunity for Greece lies in strengthening the links between shipping and domestic production, industry, exports, innovation and new technologies,” Bratakos said.
He noted that shipping directly affects the cost, speed and market access of Greek businesses in international trade. “The more modern our port infrastructure and the stronger the services supporting shipping, the more efficient supply chains become and the more competitive the Greek economy is as a whole,” he added.
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