” Greece’s strategic relationship with the United States of America has been upgraded and clearly strengthened. We are jointly studying a realistic and feasible framework, which will be presented in the coming months, immediately starting a cooperation plan between the two countries in the sectors of ports and shipyards, ” said the Minister of Shipping and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, in an interview with the newspaper “Vima tis Kyriakis” and the journalist, Christos Kolonas.
Referring to the high-level meetings he held during his recent visit to Washington, with US government officials and members of Congress, the Minister emphasized the catalytic and pivotal role of Greek ocean-going shipping, both for the US and globally. “ Greece, as a very strong country in ocean-going shipping and a pivotal country on the energy map of three continents – Asia, Africa, Europe – has a practical and not theoretical, important role for the US. Greek-owned ships constitute 20% of the world fleet and 60% of the European fleet. If 90% of world trade is carried out by sea and 25% of the LNG ship capacity is Greek, you understand the comparative advantage of our country. “As Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated on September 11, after his meeting in Athens with US Secretary of the Interior Doug Bergham, we are a major hub for the import and export of natural gas, electricity and petroleum products, while the role of Greek shipping in the transport of LNG is crucial. This makes us a very strong “player” and cooperation between Greece and the US is among our main objectives for the benefit of both peoples, ” he pointed out.
Mr. Kikilias, focusing on the successive meetings he had with the Minister of the Interior and energy “czar”, Doug Bergham, in Greece and the USA, stated that “ shipyards, shipping and energy are inextricably linked to the priorities of the USA. Our country has already developed infrastructure, such as the storage area in Revithoussa, the LNG terminal and the pipelines in Alexandroupolis. This infrastructure, combined with the enormous potential, quality and reliability of our commercial fleet (tankers, LNG carriers, etc.), create conditions for cooperation at the levels of energy security of Greece and SE Europe, the development of energy transport and the creation of new jobs. We are creating the appropriate conditions for the development of important business partnerships, so that Greek shipping can exploit, to the maximum extent, this important opportunity. The roadmap for this collaboration was discussed with Mr. Bergham .
Responding to the prospect of investment interest from the US in infrastructure in Greece, probably also in ports, with the aim of achieving the goal of greater penetration of LNG in Europe, the Minister noted that ” in recent years, the US has made a series of investments related to infrastructure in ports, pipelines, natural gas storage facilities, etc. I am convinced that these investments will increase in the coming period. The sea, ports and our infrastructure can offer significant geostrategic, development and economic advantages “. He added: ” Thus, our country is becoming an energy and trade hub, with its strategic geographical location and political stability offering additional investment benefits. In an international environment with wars, civil conflicts and general uncertainty, Greece is a stable and reliable partner of the US and we will capitalize on this policy “.
Finally, when asked about the shipbuilding sector and the further deepening of cooperation between Greece and the US, beyond the scope of the Eleusis and Syros shipyards, on the occasion of his meeting with the US Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, as well as with officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responsible for economic diplomacy, as well as with the US DFC, Mr. Kikilias underlined that ” our cooperation with the US Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, who is also responsible for shipping issues, has been excellent. We will jointly create a working group with the aim of reaching a framework of policies that will concern both countries. Mr. Duffy is an official guest of the Greek government and will visit our country in the near future. As a consequence of this, we will have the opportunity to tour our ports, our shipyards that are on a path of regeneration, and other infrastructures of common interest .”
