Posidonia, the world’s acclaimed most prestigious shipping exhibition opened yesterday in Athens, Greece.
Posidonia 2014 was officially declared open by Greek Prime Minister, Antonis Samaras yesterday at the Athens Metropolitan Expo, but by then the Posidonia event had been in full swing for at least a week as thousands of shipping people have descended on Athens for days and many will stay on after the exhibition closes on Friday.
“We are happy to announce that this year’s Posidonia will be the greatest ever and we will try our best to optimise the experience for our exhibitors and visitors and make it as rewarding and as pleasant as possible,” said Theodore Vokos, Executive Director of Posidonia Exhibitions, the organisers of the biennial event when addressing the press last week.
Some 400 journalists registered for the event. The biggest in the event’s 40-year long history, the organisers have confirmed the 2014 version has set new records 93 countries participating and 19,000 visitors expected.
George Gratsos, president of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, told the media: “Posidonia highlights the impressive achievements of the shipping industry, the shipbuilders who design and build the ships, the engine and equipment manufacturers that make them work efficiently and the port of Piraeus as the fastest growing Mediterranean’s transhipment hub. Posidonia shows how the private sector can better utilize resources, increasing efficiencies and productivity, producing wealth and employment better than any imaginable ideologically driven alternative.”
Theodore E. Veniamis, President, Union of Greek Shipowners, said: “Posidonia provides an opportunity to highlight the dynamics of the international shipping industry and the continuing leadership of Greek shipping. Perennial maritime tradition and seamanship coupled with advanced technology provide sustainable shipping services recognised internationally. 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.”
Posidonia 2014 will see the launching of HEMEXPO (Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers Association), a cluster of 15 Greek equipment manufacturers set on getting Greek-made on the manufacturers’ “Maker List” of shipyards in Asia, particularly Korea.s
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