“It is an honor for us to be candidates in IMO Category A and to ask for your vote. Greeks are people of the sea. We have traveled all over the world. We believed in trade. From Ulysses until today, on the sea we have built our historical heritage, our economy and our future,” said the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Vasilis Kikilias, at the 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), noting that “we humbly ask that you take this into account and give us the opportunity to continue moving forward and working not only for our own rights or the rights of our people, but for a global framework that is compatible with all, that recognizes the importance of today’s fuel – LNG – and that gives us all the opportunity to cooperate and achieve much.”
Mr. Kikilias underlined that “we believe that global measures must combine environmental ambition with economic realism and be imbued with justice”, stressing the need for the green transition “to be done with caution, in order to avoid economic and technological shocks”. As he noted, “it is important to ensure that international rules do not constitute a punitive mechanism”, while “realistic timetables and reward mechanisms” are crucial to benefit the entire shipping industry.
Referring to the operation of the IMO, the Minister pointed out that “we respect, support and honor all opinions within the IMO, aiming for a safe, sustainable and effective regulatory framework”, insisting that “every effort must be made so that we can reach a global, common framework within the Organization”. He also clarified that “we recognize that perhaps no one can gain 100% of what they seek through such agreements, but the greatest possible effort must be made so that there is a basic, common framework of agreement, on which we will work and try to find solutions together”.
He particularly emphasized the risk of a fragmented regulatory environment, noting that “a patchwork of different regulatory frameworks and regulations, across states, regions, continents, can only lead to an extremely challenging environment for international shipping.” He recalled that “80% to 90% of global trade is carried out by sea,” which, he said, “means that we hold enormous power in our hands,” which comes with the responsibility to address “the issues of green energy and environmental protection, along with the competitiveness and ability of the average family, around the world, to live in prosperity.”
At the same time, he stressed that “energy prices, inflation and the prices of commercial goods that we transport by sea across the planet play a decisive role”, along with the regulatory framework for the environment, “in order to bequeath a better planet to our children”.
In closing, Mr. Kikilias unequivocally condemned “all attacks against merchant ships and seafarers,” underlining that “as we head towards 2026, this is a reality that we must face.” As he noted, “we must all unite against acts of piracy; it is unacceptable. It is a very serious problem for global trade.”
