British presence at Posidonia 2012 – Reaffirming close links in shipping

First week of June 2012 and the international shipping community turned its attention to Greece for Posidonia, the largest international gathering in the shipping calendar.  It is a high profile bi-annual shipping exhibition/conference with exhibitors from over 85 countries and about 18,000 visitors. This can be easily understood, as Posidonia is a reflection of the leading position of the Greek-owned fleet, which represents almost 15% of the global carrying capacity and about 40% of the EU fleet.

In the midst of the current economic crisis, it is worth noting that shipping income remains a key contributor to the Greek economy, not only through offshore activity but also through the involvement of shipping interests in onshore industries, including tourism and real estate.

As every time, UK presence at Posidonia was substantial,  with over 140 companies exhibiting with individual stands or jointly with their local partners, and a national pavilion led by the British Marine Equipment Association.  Companies like Baltic Exchange, Lloyd’s Register, ICS, Inmarsat, Imarest, UK Hydrographic Office, Coldharbour, Drum Cussac, Rolls Royce, Alatas Worldwide, the Nautical Institute, Clarkson Research Services, Unity SPS, Concateno – just to name a few- were all present and keen to expand their relationship with the Greek shipping community further. 

This year, Britain had one more reason to be under the spotlight, as Mike Penning, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Transport flew over from London especially for the occasion.  The key objective of his visit was to reinforce the strong relationship between the Greek shipping community and the UK maritime cluster and to highlight British expertise in shipping-related services and products. Following bilateral meetings with shipping and government officials, a substantial part of his visit was devoted to meeting UK exhibitors at Posidonia and reiterating that the Government understood the importance of shipping for Britain’s prosperity and was eager to support companies in their effort to expand further. This is all the more important today when international shipping is facing substantial challenges such as lack of financing,  environmental efficiency, piracy. The UK is capable of addressing most of these challenges and continues to provide excellence in maritime services. Understandably, London remains the shipping centre of choice for the Greek shippers.   

But Posidonia is not just about the exhibition and conference. The social programme during the week, which is just as intensive, is not to be missed. In this context, the Ambassador’s reception held at his Residence was the focal point of the UK presence at Posidonia. This year the reception was particularly well attended and our guests enjoyed networking in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere on the evening of 5 June.  The Ambassador in his welcome speech said:”My message this evening is genuine and serious. Prime Minister David Cameron and the British Government are committed to ensuring that Britain realises the maximum possible of our potential as a global centre for trade and investment”.

As the week drew to a close, I felt that this year Posidonia had a more symbolic meaning. Shipping is an excellent example of a healthy and vibrant sector, which despite its challenges, aspires to remain a key contributor to the national economy and a sector that will be able to create even more jobs for young educated people.  As we witness the deepening recession of the Greek economy, it is vital to focus on positive examples. The success story of Greek entrepreneurship and resilience in shipping is certainly one of them.