Yesterday’s meeting of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) Board of Directors was held with the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Mr. Vassilis Kikilias, as the guest speaker. The discussion focused on the challenges and prospects of Greek shipping, as well as the role Greece can play in the new international environment.
The Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Mr. Vasilis Kikilias, emphasized in his speech: “Greek shipping is not distant, separate, or removed from Greek society and the business world. That is simply not the case. The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry knows this better than anyone. Because in every region of the country, when you ask when it flourished, the answer is always the same: when the port was thriving and the commercial world was flourishing. Patras experienced its greatest glory when it became a hub for transportation, manufacturing, and logistics. When we abandoned these sectors, the region faced its difficulties. The sea is also the greatest tool for social mobility we have. A child from Western Macedonia whose parents had nothing to give him sets sail, works for 12–15 years, becomes a captain, an engineer, an executive. He buys a house, starts a family. And for another 25 years, he continues on land. Isn’t this a job that provides a decent life? This opportunity must be extended to all of Greek society. Fairly, transparently. And I am glad that this discussion is starting with the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry.”
For his part, the President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Mr. Yannis Bratakos, emphasized the sector’s enduring strength and the opportunities it presents: “The great opportunity for our country lies in more effectively linking shipping with production, industry, exports, innovation, and new technologies.
Shipping directly affects the cost, speed, and access of Greek businesses to international markets. “The more modern the port infrastructure and the stronger the services surrounding shipping, the better supply chains function and the overall competitiveness of the Greek economy is strengthened,” noted the President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Referring to the challenges of maintaining the sector’s international competitiveness, Mr. Bratakos said that “the top priority is upgrading port infrastructure and intermodal transport. Greece’s geographical location offers significant potential for the country to develop into a central hub for trade and logistics for Europe and the Mediterranean. To capitalize on these opportunities, investments, faster permitting processes, and better interconnections between ports, railways, and freight hubs are needed.”
At the same time, he noted the need to strengthen the Greek shipping cluster, pointing out that Greece “can evolve into an even stronger international hub for high-value-added shipping services, attracting businesses, capital, and specialized activities.”
He also placed particular emphasis on human capital, stressing that “the shipping industry of tomorrow will need people with modern skills, technical training, digital knowledge, and the ability to operate in a complex global landscape. This means upgrading maritime studies, providing stronger technical training, and more effectively aligning education with the needs of the labor market.”
Concluding his speech, he emphasized the importance of an open dialogue between the government and the business community, which “does not stop at identifying problems, but leads to practical solutions, reforms, and a stable environment for investment, openness, and growth.”