Shipping and Island Policy Minister Vasilis Kikilias stressed the importance of strengthening maritime cooperation between Greece and Japan, as well as the need for an energy transition that takes account of the capacity of economies and societies to bear its costs. He made the remarks in a post on the X platform ahead of his participation in the Capital Link Japan Maritime Forum in Tokyo.
Greece and Japan together account for 32% of the global merchant fleet, he noted, giving them the ability, in his view, to play a decisive role in shaping developments in international shipping.
The minister said stronger bilateral cooperation could bring significant benefits to the economies and societies of both countries.
He also linked developments in shipping to people’s everyday lives, pointing out that events at sea directly affect the prices of goods and the cost of energy.
On shipping’s green transition, he stressed the need to move forward at a pace economies can support, without overlooking its social dimension.
“Society comes first. It is the government’s constant priority and my personal commitment,” Mr Kikilias said.