Kikilias: The added value of Greek-owned ships is a passport to global shipping negotiations

Greece’s strategic volition to utilize the powerfulness of Greek-owned shipping arsenic a negotiating tool successful planetary developments successful the tract of trade and maritime transport was highlighted by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Vasilis Kikilias, speaking astatine the Economist league connected Transport and Infrastructure successful Greece.

As helium stated, 21% of the world’s shipping powerfulness belongs to Greek interests, which is simply a immense vantage for the state astatine the planetary negotiating table.

“Congratulations to the household of Greek shipowners and entrepreneurs for their publication to the economy, coastal shipping, ocean-going shipping and tourism,” Kikilias said adding that 80%-90% of world trade is transported via oversea routes, a information that confirms the value of shipping arsenic a planetary pillar of power.

The tremendous added value offered by Greek-owned shipping, according to the minister, constitutes the strongest “passport” for the state to summation an upgraded relation successful planetary dialog and trade agreements. He underlined that the use of this powerfulness indispensable beryllium translated into benefits for Greek society, with much opportunities, a emergence successful surviving standards and support for citizens and the mean Greek family.

Referring to the value of Greek ports, the Minister said that from past times to the contiguous day, trade and the prosperity of peoples person been based connected the sea. Although the means and technology person changed, maritime transport remains dominant, transporting astir 90% of the goods circulating worldwide.

He referred extensively to the value of strategic investments successful ports such arsenic Piraeus, where the practice with COSCO is, arsenic helium said, a affirmative step, but there are adjacent greater possibilities for enlargement and mutually beneficial relationships.

Kikilias besides placed peculiar accent connected the larboard of Alexandroupolis, which, arsenic helium emphasized, is processing into an vigor hub with the travel of vigor shifting from the South to the North, owed to the caller geopolitical data. He besides referred to the larboard of Souda, which helium described arsenic pivotal for the Western world, owed to its strategic determination astatine the entranceway to the Mediterranean.

“Port infrastructure is simply a important origin successful attracting investment, creating jobs and enhancing the standard of surviving of citizens,” the Minister concluded, noting that the Greek seas and ports tin beryllium a lever of improvement for the full country.

In effect to a question connected the contented of integrating artificial quality and precocious technologies successful the captious assemblage of shipping and maritime borderline security, the Minister said that competitions are already underway for the use of drones, outer imagery and 24-hour surveillance via cameras.

“Maritime borders are not conscionable oversea – they are Europe’s maritime borders and necessitate technological sum and vigilance,” helium noted. As helium explained, this caller attack utilizes real-time information to heighten security, while it is simply a continuation of the acquisition gained with the implementation of the Civil Protection programme ‘Aegis’, worth 1 cardinal euros, which was completed successful conscionable 15 months.

Technology, according to the minister, does not lone interest the operational reinforcement of the Coast Guard, but besides the commercialized use of ports. He clarified, however, that the use of artificial quality does not needfully mean a simplification successful jobs. On the contrary, it opens up caller prospects for employment and growth.

“Shipping offers galore well-paid jobs, and we request to pass this done universities, colleges and schools. It is an manufacture with a future, which gives young radical the accidental to marque their dreams travel true,” Kikilias noted, underlining the value of acquisition and vocational training successful this sector.

On the contented of geopolitical developments and the tariff argumentation that is of large interest to planetary trade, the curate said that “periods of uncertainty are besides periods of opportunity. I take to spot the solid arsenic fractional full,” Kikilias emphasized, estimating that the marketplace will equilibrium out, arsenic the archetypal rhetoric astir tariffs seems to person gradually softened successful caller weeks.

Kikilias emphasized that Greece is not negotiating from a presumption of weakness, but from a wide presumption of power, thanks to the strategic value of Greek ports successful the planetary trade system. “We are an important nexus successful the planetary supply chain,” helium said, adding that the state has strong alliances some within Europe and with the United States, while it is besides processing cooperative relations with the Middle East.

He besides acceptable the extremity of unifying European ports astatine the logistics level, by strengthening obstruction connections, which – arsenic helium noted – will person a nonstop affirmative interaction connected European economies.

The curate announced that, erstwhile the absorption of the customs contented is completed, helium will enactment connected the table the treatment connected investments successful “green ports” successful Greece. Referring to the transformation of the coastal shipping fleet done special programs, helium stated that the extremity is to pull high-quality investments and strengthen competitiveness with solutions.