The present and the future of Greece’s shipbuilding industry in the era of LNG as fuel was the focus of a presentation organized by Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) at its premises on Tuesday.
The event was held within the framework of the EU co-funded project Poseidon Med II.
According to the event’s organizers, the main topics for discussion were the questions of whether LNG as a fuel choice can contribute to a revival of Greece’s shipbuilding sector, and whether local shipyards are “LNG ready”.
Discussion also touched on the type of support Poseidon Med II can offer.
Additionally, the establishment of the Revithoussa islet terminal as a LNG hub for the regional supply chain and the Europa Ship Plan -- an initiative of the Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association -- was also presented.
“The adoption of LNG as a marine fuel will create fertile ground for sustainable development of the Greek shipbuilding sector and employment opportunities, which are vital for Greece,” Dimitrios Spyrou, a consultant in PPA’s strategic planning & marketing department, told participants.
Representatives of the Cosco-managed port authority also cited the arrival of a new floating dock in Piraeus, with carrying capacity 80,000 tons, and four existing ones, as boosting the ship-repair sector.
According to a press release by PPA, the Poseidon Med II project is a practical roadmap that aims to bring about the greater adoption of LNG as a safe, environmentally efficient and viable alternative fuel for shipping and its low-carbon future.
The project, which is co-funded by the European Union, involves three countries - Greece,Italy and Cyprus - and six Mediterranean ports: (Piraeus, Patras, Limassol, Venice, Heraklio (Crete), Igoumenitsa (extreme NW Greece) as well as the Revithoussa LNG terminal, just off the mainland across from the Piraeus port zone.
