Past Event

POSIDONIA 2006

June 5-9, 2006
Piraeus, Greece

POSIDONIA 2006 – the Heart of Shipping

Every two years, Greece is hosting Posidonia, one of the great international shipping exhibitions. Traditionally, Posidonia was held in the harbour of Piraeus, the heart of shipping providing a unique atmosphere. In 2006 however, the exhibition had moved to the Hellenicon Exhibition Centre - a venue (if it deserves this term) in the middle of nowhere on an abandoned air field, with almost no infrastructure. All pavilions and stands were arranged in tents and space was rented at excessively high rates. Nevertheless, propelled by an outstanding boom in shipbuilding in general and an extremely optimistic business environment within the Greek shipping community in particular the exhibition turned out to be a big success both for exhibitors and visitors.

Spending some USD 88 million annually on fleet modernization, repair and maintenance services, the Greek after sales market is offering a potential second to none.

More than 1.600 exhibitors from 80 countries participated in Posidonia, while according to the organisers more than 16.000 visitors were registered. The participation of Austrian companies was small compared to previous years as many potential exhibitors feared that the new location will turn out not to be sufficiently attractive.

Some disappointment was caused by the cancellation of the Maritime Policy Forum - an event which was a highlight of Posidonia in previous years - where strategic issues of worldwide shipping were debated and discussed by high ranking Greek and international experts.

On the events last day, the Union of Greek Shipowners held a press conference during which President Nicos Efthymiou underlined the strategic importance of the US market for the Greek shipping community because of the fact that Greece is the largest tanker operator in the world. Mister Efthymiou referred to the European Commission’s Green Paper on Maritimy Policy and the Erika III Package which he welcomed with the exception of the Civil Liability Proposal. With regard to the conference system which has operated for 150 years, he stated: the liner conference system merits a global vision, it can not be arranged by a unilateral (EU) solution pre-empting what the rest of the world will do.

The Union of Greek Shipowners not only has a very firm standpoint with regard to “localised EU solutions” but also criticises the IACS Common Structural Rules for bulkers and tankers which include new and untried principles.