Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presided yesterday over the official opening of Posidonia 2022, during which he revealed he has been in touch with the head of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, to try and make shipping a greater priority for the bloc.
Mitsotakis has called on the EU to bolster the continent’s shipping industry with four pillars: developing green, economically viable fuels, reviewing European legislation in order to ensure a level playing field in the transportation sector, ensuring the distribution of revenue from the European emissions trading scheme, especially in maritime trade, will be fairly distributed among member states, and to apply the mechanism of the polluter pays principle with the operator responsible and not the shipowner.
“Greece is becoming an energy gateway to all of Europe and a critical hub of the southeast Mediterranean,” Mitsotakis told delegates attending the opening ceremony of the country’s most famous shipping show.
Also speaking at the event yesterday evening was Melina Travlos, president of the Union of Greek Shipowners, who said: “It is a top priority that the European, as well as the international regulatory and legislative framework, contribute to the progress and development of shipping and not to the creation of deadlocks. Universal and feasible solutions are required. Solutions that will not distort international competition and will not endanger the safety of navigation. This is the only way to handle the modern challenges of our industry effectively.”
Splash will be bringing readers reports from across many Posidonia events all week.
