The number of visitors to this year’s ‘Posidonia 2024’ shipping expo confirms once again that the annual event is “the largest celebration of Greek and international shipping,” Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy Minister Christos Stylianides said on Thursday.
At a press conference for Posidonia 2024 at the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club in Piraeus, Stylianides focused on the ministry’s presence at the expo, which opens on Monday (June 3) and will run to Friday (June 7) at the Athens Metropolitan Expo facilities.
Stylianides said that the core of national policy is to attract ships to the national shipping register and shipping businesses to Greece, as well as further the Greek maritime cluster of supporting companies in the sector. “We are implementing a long-term network of measures that aim at developing shipping activities and in maintaining the relevant technical know-how within Greece and the European Union,” he said. The ministry’s steadfast aim is to increase the contribution of shipping in the Greek economy, to correspond to its current competitive level, he underlined.
John Lyras, member of the board of the Union of Greek Shipowners and head of its foreign affairs committee, spoke of the importance of the seminars and events offered as part of Posidonia 2024, especially considering the new technological advances and fuels.
Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee Chairman Harry Fafalios said that Posidonia fair has developed into a global shipping expo and comprises the true showcase of what has happened in Greek shipping, including its growth in size and complexity, as it embraces all existing technologies that will push the sector forward.
“The revenues resulting for the Greek economy from the Posidonia shipping fair is expected to exceed 80 million for Greece this year,” Posidonia Managing Director Theodore Vokos said at the press conference. This year’s participation will exceed 40,000 entities, including the exhibitors, visitors, journalists, and foreign visitors, he noted.
“We now have 2,030 businesses from 82 countries and 23 national pavilions, while the greatest rise in participation this year is from China, with 180 Chinese companies, 50% more since the pandemic period,” he added.
The Posidonia 2024 week schedule can be found at https://posidonia-events.com/pages/programme/.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
