Shipping decision makers meet in Greece

by Alexandra Ktisti

The event took place on Friday, November 4th 2016 at the Divani Appollon Palace, in Athens. The NAVIGATOR 2016 - "The Shipping Decision Makers Forum" was honored by the presence of more than 500 executives of shipping, ambassadors from 25 countries, and members of the banking sector, representatives of major maritime organizations, academics, students and press representatives.

The CEO of Navigator, Mrs. Danae Bezantakou, welcomed the participants with an optimistic prompt to stop advertise the crisis and try to take advantage of the opportunities that arise through that situation.

The President of the company, Capt. Dimitris Bezantakos, in his opening speech encouraged the actors of the Greek shipping to leave pessimism aside and fight to keep the Greek shipping strong and a world leading power.

The forum was inaugurated by Mr. Miltiadis Varvistsiotis, Former Minister of the Hellenic Ministry of Shipping and the Aegean, as well as by Mrs. Eva Kaili, Member of the European Parliament.

There was also a special tribute for the port of Piraeus. Mr. Petros Kokkalis, Executive City Councillor for Local Economic Development and Entrepreneurship of the Municipality of Piraeus, noted the historical significance and prospects of evolution in order to become the busiest port in the Mediterranean, through the Blue Growth program.

The first panel entitled “Ports as an Economic Aspect & Market Analysis” was moderated by Mr. George Xiradakis, Managing Director – XRTC Business Consultants Ltd and President – The Propeller Club (Port of Piraeus). In the panel participated Mrs. Katerina Stathopoulou, Executive Director - Investments & Finance, Mrs. Vera Alexandropoulou, Legal Department – Piraeus Port Authority Mr. Javier López, Commercial Manager - Algeciras Port Authority and Mr. Apostolos Kamarinakis, Civil Engineer - Rtd. Vadm Hellenic Coast Guard & former CEO of the Hellenic Port Development Center. 

A very special part of the event has been the open discussion organized for a 4th consecutive year under the initiative of Navigator among foreign ambassadors who serve in Greece and was moderated by Mr. Francois Lafond, President Blue Networks and Opportunities & Associate Professor Sciences Po Paris.

The last  panel: “Smart & Green maritime Technology: Where we are now, and what's next?” was moderated by Mrs. Helena Athoussaki, Head of Maritime Sustainability Centre - PwC and comprised of Mr. George Christopoulos, Vice Admiral of Hellenic Navy (Rtd) Marine Operations LAROS – Prisma Electronics, Mr. Khalid Talukder, Chief Revenue Officer – Tranomex, Diabos’ Cash Management Partner, Mr. Konstantinos Stampedakis, General Director – Erma First Esk Engineering Solutions S.A, Mr. Frank Paleokrassas, Corporate Manager - Fleet Performance – Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (Hellas)SPLLC. The dialogue was on the topic of the last developments concerning the environmental regulations and their implementation. 

Moreover, panelists emphasized on the importance of the technological integration in shipping companies and analyzed ways in which the implementation of the "green model" in shipping can improve the safety performance of the crew and the logistics chain.