The business mission, in which 11 German companies are participating, lasts from October 13 to 16 and is taking place within the framework of an initiative by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).
During yesterday’s symposium, the President of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Vasilis Korkidis, in his introductory remarks, emphasized that Piraeus keeps its “door open” for developing collaborations with German businesses, focusing on its port. As he said, “the challenges of shipping and the shipbuilding industry are enormous, however, I am convinced that the two communities, by developing synergies, become stronger and in a better position in the global market.” He particularly focused on the issue of the “net zero framework” which, as he said, is at an impasse, specifically, between the IMO session, shipowners’ choices towards LNG, and US countermeasures. In fact, he spoke of shipping being turned into a tax collection mechanism, without environmental benefit, which creates dilemmas and downgrades the role of the IMO. He also referred to “special port fees” a trade war as he characterized it of about 2 trillion dollars between China and the USA, which is pushing global trade to split into Western and Eastern networks. At another point in his remarks, the President of the PCCI spoke about the need to cover the gap that Europe currently presents in the shipyard market, which as he explained can be secured through interstate synergies. In this direction, Greece and Germany have the opportunity to develop joint actions, Mr. V. Korkidis mentioned, inviting the two business communities to collaborate.
Ms. Agathe Elers, Maritime Economy Office of the Federal Government Coordinator for Maritime Economy Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, stressed that the need for energy security and technological advancement more than ever necessitates the development of strategic partnerships in the European Union, especially in a sector like shipping, one of the most dynamic and competitive globally. In fact, she explained that strategic partnerships are deemed crucial for the future of the global shipping community, especially after the evolution of the energy market, which imposes “clean technology” terms. We must extract and bring closer to our markets every modern technological proposal, noted Ms. Agathe Elers, adding that Greece and Germany are called to play a leading role within the EU through common synergies, especially in a sector critical for the global shipping community, which is none other than “clean energy”.
In a message sent to the participants, the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Mr. Vasilis Kikilias, emphasized, among other things, the deep knowledge and experience, but also the strong capital position of the Greek shipping community, which, as he said, systematically invests in green – clean technology.
Earlier, the General Manager and Board Member of the Hellenic-German Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Ilja Nothnagel, welcoming the participants to the event, after noting that the two Chambers are collaborating for the third time supporting similar actions, emphasized that global shipping is currently facing a dual challenge: The energy – “green” and the technological – digital transition.
The Greek shipping community, a leading force in global shipping, and the German market with its strong position in the international technology market, can jointly be led to “state of the art” solutions, contributing more broadly to the international goals of the sector,” Dr. Ilja Nothnagel emphasized.
This was followed by two panels for the presentation of the German companies participating in the business mission.
In the first one, titled “Engineering Solutions for a Sustainable Maritime Future”, the participants were Hauke Schlegel, Managing Director, VDMA AG Marine Equipment and Systems, Ruben-Richard Singhof, Senior Sales Manager, Schottel GmbH, Jörg Seuster, Sales / Maritime Market, Rötelmann GmbH, Teodor Georgiev, Business Development Manager, Goetze KG Armaturen, Marius Plaisant, Managing Director, Promarin Propeller- und Marinetechnik GmbH, and Andreas Wagner, General Manager, Ostsee Marine Solutions GmbH.
In the second panel titled “ESG Strategies and Digital Transformation in the Maritime Sector”, the participants were Fotios Belexis, Technical Director, StarBulk (focused on ESG), Dennis Lühr, Head of Sales Marine Systems, SAACKE GmbH, Andreas Maier, Sales Manager Marine / Oil & Gas, KEM Flow Measurement GmbH, Klaus Dammann, Managing Director, Ingenieurbüro Weselmann GmbH & Co. KG, Dr. Matthew Maheras, CIO Metrostar Management Corp., President of AMMITEC – Association of Maritime Managers of Information Technology and Communications, Darren Caldwell, Partnership Development, JDS GmbH, Carsten Bullemer, Managing Director, GmbH.
The first panel was moderated by the Director of the Greece & Cyprus Office of Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), Ms. Michaéla Balík and the second by the Business Developer of the Hellenic-German Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Zoí Baltzí.
