Navigator Forum Charting New Waters for Greek Shipping

Captain Dinitris Bezantakos, President of NAVIGATOR Shipping Consultants.

Danae Bezantakou, Managing Director of NAVIGATOR Shipping Consultants.

Europe’s maritime policy and the future potential of Greek shipping were the focus of this year’s NAVIGATOR forum titled “The Shipping Decision Makers”, which took place recently at the Athenaeum InterContinental Hotel.

One of the industry’s leading annual events, the 14th NAVIGATOR forum attracted over 500 sector insiders and specialists, including ambassadors, shipping executives, CEOs and managers who shared ideas and solutions about issues affecting today’s maritime community.

The forum, organized by Bezentakos-owned NAVIGATOR Shipping Consultants and Kefi Tours & Conferences Ltd., featured panel discussions on “Making Green Pay”, “Shipping Market Issues” and “Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue on Shipping”.

The ambassadors of Germany, Turkey, the Netherlands and Egypt joined a panel discussion on the latest maritime policy and the prospects of shipping in Europe as well as on potential collaborations between EU countries and the improved management of the sector.

H.E. Dr Peter Schoof, The Ambassador of Germany in Greece

H.E. Mr. Kerim Uras, The Ambassador of Turkey in Greece

H.E. Mr Jan Versteeg, The Ambassador of Netherlands in Greece

H.E. Mr Ahmed Fouad El Bidewy, The Ambassador of Egypt in Greece

Opening the event, Shipping and Maritime minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis underlined the importance of the sector in the Greek economy and the need for a fiscal framework that will ensure the sector’s sustainable development and draw in foreign investment.

“Based on Bank of Greece data, in the first six months, cash inflow from shipping activities reached 7.45 billion euros compared to 5.82 billion euros in the corresponding period last year, recording a 28% increase on an annual basis,” he said.

Discussions also focused on increasing the capacity of carriers and new orders, the volatility of the freight market, limited funding and the problems of the shipping market.

In the meantime, on the sidelines of the forum, Eleftherios Kehagioglou, president of the Hellenic Small Islands Network, presented Hydra’s maritime tradition. Hydra was this year’s Navigator Honored Island.

GTP congratulates the Bezantakos family for holding yet another successful NAVIGATOR Maritime Forum.