Greek shipping is facing a historic challenge in looking forward, that of becoming “green”, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday in the opening address of the Posidonia International Shipping Exhibition at the Athens’ Metropolitan Exhibition Center, ANA reports.
“We are now called upon to return to a shipping sector that will gradually turn energy neutral,” Mitsotakis noted, “and yes, progress has been made, as a greener fleet relates to the protection of the environment and, beyond that, to a significant investment opportunity.”
The PM said he had addressed a letter to the European Commission president to request that shipping becomes a European priority. Europe, and particularly its bureaucracy, he underlined, “has to understand that Greek-owned ships have a significant advantage that will contribute to its strategic autonomy.” Greek-owned shipping helps maintain the global supply chain, particularly in the EU, he said, while green shipping “will protect our sea and air.”
Greek shipping “serves as a protection to irrational price increases that derail state and family budgets – a new challenge for Greek-owned ships transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG),” he pointed out.