By A. Tsiblakis
Greek-controlled companies and shipowners are turning to Chinese shipyards more and more for repairs and new orders, as an increasing number of merchant vessels ply routes closer to China, according to a local ship repair broker and company official.
When in Europe, Turkish and Romanian yards are gaining ground, whereas Greek facilities remain, unfortunately, the last choice for shipping companies, with the primary reasons being higher costs as well as uncertainty over delivery times.
According to ship repair company executive Vassilis Vassiliou, neighboring Turkey is rapidly expanding facilities to accommodate even larger vessels, such as the Suezmax.
Another area where Greece-based find themselves in a disadvantage is unscheduled and emergency repairs on the dockside or anchorage, primarily due to EU restrictions, and despite the much more competitive rates offered by Greece-based companies compared to other European companies.
