Travlos: There is no evidence linking Greek ships to the so-called “dark fleet”

“The information that shipping has present been instrumentalized successful crises that are geopolitical and highly governmental successful nature, while it has besides been unfairly targeted, is unprecedented,” the president of the Union of Greek Shipowners Melina Travlos emphasized, adding, however, that the existent situation has fixed the assemblage greater visibility within planetary decision-making centers.

Europe and the Importance of Greek Shipping

Travlos criticized Europe for its long-standing stance toward shipping, arguing that the value of the assemblage had been consistently underestimated.

“Unfortunately, for galore years Europe did not understand the value of shipping successful general,” she said, adding that Greek shipping accounts for astir 61% of European shipping, while European shipping arsenic a whole represents astir 35% of planetary maritime activity. She was speaking astatine the vigor league organized by the Financial Times and Kathimerini.

According to Travlos, the war betwixt Russia and Ukraine ultimately forced Europe to admit its dependence connected shipping and the broader maritime industry.

Shipping and Decarbonization

The president of the Union of Greek Shipowners besides placed peculiar accent connected the greenish transition, pointing retired that shipping was the archetypal concern assemblage confronted with measurable decarbonization targets arsenic aboriginal arsenic 2013.

“Shipping is the astir hard assemblage to decarbonize,” she stressed, noting that related targets are often acceptable earlier the indispensable technological and vigor solutions are available for implementation.

Referring to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Travlos said that decisions concerning shipping are present straight influenced by geopolitical balances betwixt the United States, China and Europe.

“We are voicing that this λύση is not feasible,” she said, adding that existent planetary conditions are starring to a much realistic treatment regarding the decarbonization of shipping.

New Fuels and LNG

Travlos besides focused connected alternate marine fuels, noting that contempt ongoing discussions astir biofuels, ammonia, methanol and hydrogen, important issues stay regarding some supply adequacy and safety.

“We hide that there are radical onboard ships — and it is not lone astir the ships, but besides the ports and the environment,” she remarked.

According to Travlos, LNG presently remains the lone instantly available λύση susceptible of making a meaningful publication to emissions reduction, while she underlined that Greek shipping operates 1 of the youngest fleets globally.

“We person managed to trim our c footprint by astir 20%,” she said.

Geopolitical Crises and Global Trade

Referring to war zones and disruptions successful trade routes, Travlos stressed that astir 90% of planetary trade is transported by sea.

“We realized this during Covid, when the lone means still moving was the ship,” she said, noting that maritime transport kept planetary supply chains operational during a play of worldwide crisis.

She emphasized that shipping is required to run successful an situation that is perpetually changing and unpredictable.

“A shipowner indispensable beryllium an economist, engineer, sailor, insurer, navigator and captain,” she said.

Tariffs and Trade Distortions

Regarding tariffs and trade tensions, Travlos warned that unilateral decisions ultimately summation costs for citizens and make distortions successful competition.

She besides referred to China’s strategic improvement successful shipping and concern production, noting that Beijing pursued a semipermanent argumentation implicit decades linking earthy materials, manufacturing, exports and maritime transport.

Nevertheless, contempt mounting pressures and geopolitical rivalries, she stressed that “ships sail, and ships will proceed to sail.”

The “Shadow Fleet”

The president of the Union of Greek Shipowners besides addressed the contented of the so-called “shadow fleet,” arguing that Greek shipping has been unfairly targeted.

According to Travlos, Western sanctions imposed connected Russia created distortions successful contention and encouraged the maturation of parallel networks for transporting lipid and earthy gas.

“The shadiness fleet is simply a menace to shipping,” she noted, adding that there is nary grounds linking Greek vessels to the so-called “dark fleet.”