They say that a port on its own cannot “win the world”.
However, Piraeus seems to have done it, “silently” with the stubbornness of its productive ranks. It has earned an important place in the interest of investors who have evaluated its geopolitical potential, but also appreciated the hidden surplus values it has. If we attempt a brief review, we will find that major shipping centres in the world ranking have given way to Piraeus, which, however, falls behind in “Mari- time Finance & Law”. I keep on saying that we need to look at the qualitative - and not only - characteristics so that port, city-productive classes and shipping interact.
We need to see the opportunities rising and take advantage of them. The achieved revitalization of the shipbuilding sector is one of these opportunities, as well as the fact that India, following China, “saw” the opportunity to have its products exported faster to the European Union.
The celebration of Posidonia is an “opportunity” to be the begin- ning of a new joint effort to consolidate Piraeus in the first place of the world ranking in the category of Shipping, Ports & Logistics, Maritime Finance & Law, as a center of ship ownership, but also as a shipbuilding center which promotes innovation across the entire scope of the shipping business. And this opportunity should not
be lost as the optimistic, creative and outgoing spirit of our country emerges at Posidonia. At the same time, the large port shows as a modern business, tourist, shipping and commercial center of inter- national recognition and range.
P.C.C.I. has always been present in every effort to highlight the role of shipping and the importance of business initiatives in international trade and the shipbuilding industry, with a focus on Piraeus. It here where the heart of the strongest shipping beats, the shipping of the Greeks, the most advanced gateway to the east of the EU. for its import and export trade.
Business activities related to transport, energy, logistics, supply chain, finance, value added services, manufacturing, shipbuilding, assembly, legal, insurance and reinsurance services for shipping have a business horizon in Piraeus. We must take advantage of
all those business and operational possibilities that are under the “wrap” of the “blue economy”. I believe that, in the field of blue economy with a focus on innovation, there is a wide scope for
the development of synergies, given that Piraeus is a developed and highly specialized productive “cluster” of the maritime economy, with global connections, among the most important shipping powers in the world. We should not forget that maritime innovation is capital and knowledge intensive, while the synergies that can be developed across most maritime activities and sectors will create valuable new jobs.
The development of innovation-focused strategies has proven to act as “magnet” for investment, especially now that global shipping is looking for technological and other solutions that will lead it faster and safely to the “green transition”. At this point, we should mention the importance and role of “Maritime Hellas”, the Greek shipping cluster, which, under the global brand name “Greek Shipping”, supports extroversion, innovation, but also the development of all those fields in which synergies can be developed by promoting the indisputable quality characteristics of the products and services that Piraeus businesses produce and offer.
Piraeus, benefiting from its geopolitical position and reputationas an international shipping center, provides priceless value for a wide range of business activities. And it is up to all of us to develop them together for the benefit, not only of the local, but mainly of the national economy.
* President of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce & Industry