By
Laura Hyde |
Posidonia 2024, which will take place from 3-7 June in Athens, Greece, will showcase vessel design and production innovations from over 85 shipyards from 26 countries.
According to the event organiser, increased activity at Greece’s shipbuilding units in Syros, Halkida and Elefsina, as well as the restart of Skaramangas shipyard all point to a strong recovery for the country’s shipbuilding industry following decades of decline. Greece is now seen as an important contributor to European shipyards’ annual production value of around €43 billion ($45.8 billion).
“Greece is resurfacing as a credible shipbuilding cluster for vessel repair, conversion and potentially for the construction of newbuilds for Greek and international shipowners and naval forces,” said Theodore Vokos, managing director of Posidonia Exhibitions. “This revival follows decades of underperformance and underinvestment, marked by the absence of a strategic vision.”
Exhibitors will include Neorion Shipyard in Syros and Elefsis Shipyard, which have collectively repaired over 500 ships (both foreign and Greek-owned) since the New York-based Onex Shipyards and Technologies group took over their operations in 2019. The Onex group's business plan includes investments worth $550 million for the shipyards with the goal of boosting repair operations to 300 vessels per year.
“Our goal is to transform the historic shipyards into a modern maritime hub for the greater Mediterranean region,” said Panos Xenokostas, president and CEO of Onex. “We aspire for both Elefsis and Syros Shipyards to become the first choice of those seeking quality, speed and personalised service, while adhering to relevant security protocols and always taking into consideration the transition to a sustainable maritime model.”
Skaramangas Shipyards will also attend Posidonia. Recently appointed chairman Miltiadis Varvitsiotis aims to transform the facility into a multimillion-contract-winning business. It will focus on emission-reducing technologies and scrubber installation, while exploring potential synergies for the development of new ship designs incorporating new green fuels.
“Since 2010, the shipyard was exclusively involved in the repair, maintenance, and upgrade of the Hellenic Navy’s fleet,” said Varvitsiotis. “Now, with new ownership and management, we are ready to present our world-class infrastructure and state-of-the-art equipment for heavy and specialised repairs. We are going to promote our future plans and explore the possibilities of undertaking important and sophisticated new building projects.”
Chalkis Shipyard will also highlight how it is investing in the installation of photovoltaic systems to power both shipyard and vessels berthed or docked at its facilities. The facility is also upgrading its infrastructure to enable it to build specialised vessels up to 100 metres in length. Its goal is to be capable of working on about 240 vessels annually, serve ships of larger capacity, and build small vessels with new technology.
“A strong shipbuilding sector creates the conditions for upgrading national defence, contributes decisively to the national economy and the green transition and strengthens Greece's position in the regional geopolitical arena through the implementation of major projects with international significance,” said Xenokostas.