The Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Mr. Vasilis Kikilias, was named an honorary member of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The minister was honored for his dedication and contribution to the development of Greek shipping, as well as to the strengthening of the island economy.
The recognition of V. Kikilias’s work took place during the event “Piraeus - Open Seas,” which took place yesterday, Monday, June 8, at the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) building. The event is part of the annual “Days of the Sea” celebrations.
This honorary distinction was accompanied by another significant event: the awarding of the first admitted students, Ioannis Giouzelidis and Ioanna Tampaki, to the departments of Maritime Studies at the University of Piraeus (PA.PEI.) and Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the University of West Attica (PA.DA.), respectively. This initiative serves as a tangible confirmation of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s support for the younger generation and its confidence in the excellence of young people.
In a hall packed with prominent figures from political, business, academic, and social life, Piraeus—a hub of business and shipping—combining innovation with openness, honored the present and made promises for the future.
In his opening remarks, the event’s host and President of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vasilis Korkidis, once again highlighted Piraeus’s undeniable contribution to global shipping and paid special tribute to the guest of honor, the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Mr. Vasilis Kikilias. V. Korkidis praised the minister’s work by offering an exceptionally interesting retrospective of his multifaceted career, highlighting both his athletic achievements and his medical skills as an orthopedic surgeon. Special mention was naturally made of his political career, from his first steps as a municipal councilor to the present day, when he has successfully taken on one of the most challenging ministries, that of Shipping: “The sea is not always calm,” as V. Korkidis once said.
Before inviting the Minister to the podium for the official presentation of the honorary title, the President of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce congratulated the top-ranking students and warmly thanked all those present for their attendance.
The Mayor of Piraeus, Mr. Yannis Moralis, who praised the long-standing and consistently constructive cooperation between the city’s two leading institutions, emphasizing that “local government and business activity can go hand in hand.” Mr. Moralis also referred to the award presented to the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, as well as to the students who deservedly received an award for their top performance, stating on this occasion that we must “pass on the passion for shipping to the younger generation”.
The Mayor of Piraeus was followed by the honored Minister V. Kikilias, who took the floor, deeply moved. First, to express his gratitude for the honor of being named an honorary member of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and then to publicly share his feelings about Piraeus, “this port, which I have come to love so much, as well as its seafaring tradition and its people.” Mr. Kikilias also congratulated both award-winning students, both for their success and for their choice to pursue this “beautiful field,” as he characteristically stated. He then analyzed, from his own experienced and—undoubtedly—now highly credible perspective, issues in Greek shipping, which, as he said, “essentially encompasses a wide range of sectors,” from cruises to real estate, “sectors to which it adds value.”
The event continued with the noteworthy remarks of Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis, IMO Goodwill Ambassador for Shipping and President of the Eugenides Foundation- Eugenides, who focused on the major changes shaping the future of the Greek maritime tradition in particular, as well as European and global shipping in general. L. Dimitriadis-Eugenides, among other things, highlighted the significant geopolitical dimensions affecting the industry, emphasizing the importance of energy and technology, while strongly stressing the need to always look back at history. “The future is shaped by the past,” he stated.
The speech by the Vice President of the ONEX Group & Secretary General of the Hellenic Shipbuilders’ Association, Mr. Konstantinos Keratsas, was also extremely interesting. Conveying the greetings of the Group’s Chairman and the Chairman of the Hellenic Shipbuilders’ Association, Mr. Panagiotis Xenokostas, referred to modern shipbuilding and Greece’s role, emphasizing the importance of Elefsina as an energy hub. Among many points raised, the representative of the Greek Shipbuilders praised domestic shipping and coastal shipping, while also highlighting the paradox of shortages in the ship repair sector, despite our country’s dominance at sea.
SEEN President and Deputy CEO of Attica Group, Mr. Dionysis Theodoratos, concluded this exceptional discussion by focusing on the full range of issues related to the “green transition” of coastal shipping, as well as the challenges that must be addressed. Highlighting the intense pressures facing Greek coastal shipping, Mr. Theodoratos spoke about the critical transitional period the sector is currently undergoing, drawing attention to the need to ensure that the Greek islands remain connected to the mainland 12 months a year.
The Awards
In addition to the appointment of the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Mr. Vasilis Kikilias, as an honorary member of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the event also featured the presentation of awards to the top two students admitted to universities to pursue maritime studies. Specifically, this year’s award was presented to Mr. Ioannis Giouzelidis, who was admitted first to the Department of Maritime Studies at the University of the Aegean, by Mr. Ioannis Lagoudis, Associate Professor & Vice Chair of the Department of Maritime Studies at the School of Maritime and Industrial Studies, while Mr. Dimitrios Koumpogiannis, Associate Professor & Chair of the Department of Naval Architecture, presented the award to Ioanna Tampaki, the first student admitted to the Department of Naval Architecture at the University of the Aegean.