Page 24 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2024

ΙNTERVIEW OF THE MONTH

curriculum is downgraded, and teachers’ salaries
in the Merchant Marine Academies are meagre.
Despite various individual or somewhat isolated
efforts, the whole system of maritime education
in our country is problematic.
Recapitulating, Greek-owned shipping will prosper
in terms of vessel numbers. Whether it will remain
the biggest in the world is a question because Chi-
nese-owned shipping will undoubtedly grow. We
should also try to push for Piraeus to become a sub-
stantial shipping and maritime hub by not ignoring
the fact that we lack some critical elements such as
banking, insurance, and legal services. The cluster,
though, can be a significant contributor to Greece’s
ability to maintain and expand its role as a shipping
hub and maritime centre. The good thing is that the
ports have been completely revitalised as we see
significant investments in Piraeus, Igoumenitsa,
Heraklion, Thessaloniki, and Alexandroupolis. The
shipyards have also started to perform well. Syros
is doing very well, and we will see how Elefsis and
Skaramangas develop.

❽ What is your view on the EU initiatives
Credit: Thodoris and know-how we Greeks have. Greek shipowners aimed at reducing shipping’s environmen-
Manolopoulos/ have the knack of knowing when to buy, when to tal footprint? What are your expectations
Presidency of the sell, and when to invest in a newbuilding. So, while from the new European Commission? In
Hellenic Republic
I think Greek shipowning will remain very strong, it this maelstrom of legislation, how easy is
will certainly end up in flags other than the Greek it for Europe’s small and medium-sized
one, simply due to the lack of Greek officers. No shipping companies to survive and grow?
matter what we say, the lack of a larger number of This is a complicated matter. Environmental poli-
Greek mariners is a huge issue. Interest in pursuing cies, especially in the EU, are very strongly under
a career at sea among the younger generations of the influence and guidance of the environmentalists
Europe is continuously decreasing. It is true that a and the politicians’ lobbies, both of which have very
lot of passionate people here in Greece are heavily little knowledge about the needs and the role of
involved in initiatives that will inspire the younger shipping. The fact, however, is that these lobbies
generation to pursue a career at sea. Your publisher, have enormous power. Let me give you an exam-
Mr Bissias, spends a lot of his time with campaigns ple. ECSA, the representative body of the European
around Greece, yet we must understand this is a shipowners associations, had a budget of €2.5 mil-
global challenge and a major social issue for today’s lion per year to showcase and represent shipping
shipping industry. Let us not forget that countries at a European level. One of the big environmental
with a large population of seafarers, such as the UK, NGOs had a budget of €150 million, half of which
Norway or Japan, have lost this imporant heritage were funds from the European Commission. When
today. I fear that, following the footpath of other politicians, environmentalists, and populists focus
European States, Greece may soon follow. We can on an issue, it is easy for them to manipulate it.
try to delay that, but we cannot stop it. And because Of course, I admit that as shipowners we all have
we cannot stop it, it becomes crucially important to to do a lot of work, collectively and individually. The
familiarise ourselves with foreign crews. We should problem is that the solutions are technically not yet
prepare ourselves for this new era of management. available. Some companies with easily made prof-
For me, crew nationalities are not that important. If its, like the liner companies, are able to experiment
you treat and pay your seafarers well and encour- with either ammonia or methanol. Each one of the
age their personal development, they will be, for big liner companies recorded dozens of billions in
certain, trusted and committed mariners, irrespec- profits in the last two or three years. If they invest in
tive of their nationality. However, I feel somewhat an ammonia-powered or methanol-powered vessel
pessimistic for one more reason. Unfortunately, the and the investment fails, no one will notice, not even
Greek State has not done anything to improve mari- their bookkeepers. Private family-owned shipping
time education in our country. At the same time, the companies cannot afford such types of investments.

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