Bridging the gap

Greek shipping is positioned to be a global protagonist in the green transition of the sector, according to Christos Stylianides minister of Maritime Affairs and Domestic Policy. During the last couple of weeks he has been touring major European capitals, promoting Greece as the bridge between the European Union and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the institution charged with the establishment of the framework guiding the global shipping industry. The traction Greece has as a major maritime power makes it perfectly positioned for such a role.

The Greek minister is concerned that the European Union regulations on green transition are negatively impacting the block’s competitiveness, particularly when considering the additional economic pressure created by geopolitical instability, such as caused by the conflicts in the Red Sea and Ukraine. He had several meetings with Commissioners on exactly how to use European funding so as to upgrade the Greek coastal shipping sector.

Through the ages, Greek shipping is used to major changes, to technological evolution and institutional reshaping. The book “Following the Nereids”, by Maria Christina Chatziioannou and Gelina Harlaftis, presents a bird’s eye approach to Greek maritime history, covering a wide range of issues from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. It comprises 21 contributions of academics and researchers from universities and research foundations in Greece and abroad.