The Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Stefanos Gikas , attended and delivered a speech at the opening of the Annual Summit of the European Shortsea Network (ESN) , which this year was entitled: “Walking into a New Era” , which was organized by the Shortsea Promotion Center of Greece (SPC Greece) , on the occasion of the Greek Presidency of the European Short Sea Network .
ESN is the European Cooperation, Promotion and Development Body for Short Sea Shipping and is the European Network for Cooperation and Information Exchange, with the main objectives of promoting and developing shortsea shipping, as well as strengthening its integration into the intermodal transport chain.
It was founded in 2000 and consists of the National Promotion Centers (SPC) operating in various European States and coordinated through this Network.
SPC Greece is one of the founding members of ESN and operates under the Association of Short Sea Shipping Shipowners (E.E.N.M.A.).
SPC Greece holds the Presidency of ESN from January 2025 for two years with the President and Coordinator, the President of E.E.N.M.A. Mr. Charalambos Simantonis.
As part of the actions of this period, it is organizing this conference, with the aim of raising awareness about the importance and significance of intermodal transport – a combination of ships, ports, logistics, trucks, trains – as well as about EU policies for the shift of freight flows. in Short Sea Shipping, as a sustainable and efficient alternative to road transport.
Mr. Gikas, addressing the Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Domna Michaelidou , who was present, to the President of the Union Short Sea Shipping Shipowners Charalambos Simantonis , to the Members of the Board of Directors, the Presidents of Bodies and Organizations and the Representatives of the corresponding Centers from all over Europe , referred to the pillars that determine the Actions of the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy and for which axes he emphasized that:
“We are working consistently and strategically to enhance competitiveness, accelerate the green transition and support the sustainable development of the Shipping sector. Utilizing all available resources, from European or National financial instruments.” .
Specifically, the Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy emphasized that: “as our Minister Vassilis Kikilias has repeatedly stated, the first axis is the improvement of port infrastructure, in parallel with the “greening” of the Ports, i.e. “cold ironing”. The second axis has to do with the “digitalization” and modernization of the services of the Coast Guard – Hellenic Coast Guard. The third, with the renewal and modernization of the passenger shipping fleet and not only. The fourth, with the “green transition” of Shipping and here we must be careful, because the “green transition” should not be done at the expense of the competitiveness of Shipping at all levels. And the fifth axis is that of modernizing Maritime Education and attracting young people to the Maritime profession.”
Referring to “Insularity”, he stressed: “ We are making a diligent effort to make “Insularity” a dominant political component, at the European Union level, so that in the next programming period 2028-2034, “Insularity” will be a factor which will be taken into account in the definition of the Sectoral Programs. In other words, we demand that the next Programming Period have a separate Sectoral Program for the islands, the European islands. Islands are not a disadvantage, they are an advantage for a country. “.
Finally, referring to the effort being made at the European level to strengthen and upgrade Shipping, Mr. Gikas emphasized: “Recently, Commissioner Mr. Tzitzikostas stated that European resources in the transport sector are being doubled and this is very important. However, European Strategies should include Short Sea Shipping, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises in the Shipping sector, among the funding bodies. Because until now, as we all know, this provision did not exist.”
