It is with great pleasure that I participate in this initiative of NAFS magazine giving my views on Greek shipping, its challenges and its future for the prospects of the Maritime Industry for 2023.

I would like to underline that we need regulations that promote the energy transition in a way that enables and includes all citizens, without jeopardizing the dominance of EU shipping and the resilience of our economies, especially growth prospects and welfare of the most vulnerable citizens, such as islanders and the less affluent.

The pandemic has shown us in a clear and unambiguous way how sensitive and how important the transport sectors are to ensure resilient supply chains, as well as to create reliable and robust mechanisms for the smooth and safe operation of ships around the world.

The most recent crisis in Ukraine has revealed even more the importance of shipping in particular in maintaining global energy and food security, especially for the most vulnerable parts of our world. This is important to understand because shipping needs the public recognition it justly deserves.

Shipping has always been part of the solution, not the problem, and this is true in relation to a number of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including of course decarbonisation, but also fighting poverty through security of supply and quality of employment.

When it comes to decarbonisation, which concerns all human activities on planet earth – as you know shipping is no exception.

However, I would like to underline that we need regulations that promote the energy transition in a way that enables and includes all citizens, without jeopardizing the dominance of EU shipping and the resilience of our economies, especially growth prospects and welfare of the most vulnerable citizens, such as islanders and the less affluent.

Moreover, it is known that one of the biggest challenges for shipping will be to ensure the global availability of safe alternative fuels with low and zero carbon dioxide emissions and the related infrastructure. This should happen as soon as possible because we are still a long way from such a new reality.

Dear friends in closing this short note I would like to point out that shipping, like any other economic activity, is affected by new challenges, priorities and developments – technological, political, economic and others and adaptability to the new conditions that arise from time to time was always the key element for its success. That is where we must put our weight and effort. 

A realistic and sustainable plan that will be characterized by adaptability and reliability will be the demand in the years to come.