When Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras officially opens Posidonia 2014 on Monday at the Athens Metropolitan Expo, the spotlight of the world’s shipping industry will once again fall on Greece.
Organisers of Posidonia 2014 say it will be the biggest ever in the event’s 45-year history, with more than 1,900 exhibitors and some 19,000 visitors from 93 countries and territories expected to attend.
Theodore Vokos, executive director of organiser Posidonia Exhibitions SA, notes that shipping accounts for 7% of Greec’s gross domestic product (GDP) while providing employment to 192,000 people.
The exhibition is held under the auspices of all the country’s leading shipping bodies, whose presidents are warm in their praise of the industry and the event.
“Posidonia shows how the private sector can better utilise resources, increasing efficiencies and productivity, producing wealth and employment better than any imaginable ideologically driven alternative,” said George Gratsos, president of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping.
Theodore Veniamis, president of the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS), concurred, noting that Posidonia provides an opportunity to highlight the dynamics of the international shipping industry and the continuing leadership of Greek shipping.
“As Greece is in the process of ending the most testing period in its modern history, economically and socially, Greek shipping could become a key driver of economic recovery at national level, as well as in the context of global prosperity and welfare,” he said.
With Greek owners controlling some 3,669 vessles and Greece recently declared to be the world’s leading shipping nation, it is not surprising that shipping services and products providers from all sectors of the industry are queuing for some quality time in the company of the Greek owners, who last year alone spent $13bn under their newbuilding programme.
But that quality networking time is not achieved only at the exhibition. Posidonia has also developed a strong programme of conferences and seminars, the keynote event being the TradeWinds Shipowners Forum, which takes place on 3 June, as well as a number of enthusiastically supported sports events.
Today, teams set out for the Posidonia Cup sailing regatta, while over the weekend the Posidonia Shipsoccer Tournament and Posidonia Golf Tournament will challenge the abilities of industry competitors.
And, naturally, on a daily basis, events ranging from open-house invitations to offices through to more casual drinks and cocktail parties and receptions, some going on into the small hours, offer an endless number of chances to mingle and enjoy doing business in some of the most attractive social venues of Athens and Piraeus.
