By Antonis Tsimplakis

 

Greece's rejuvenated shipbuilding industry will feature at Posidonia 2024, signaling a strong recovery after decades of decline and abandonment. The renaissance of the sector takes shape after the completion of the consolidation of the country's shipyards in Syros and Elefsis, but also through the resumption of the Skaramangas Shipyards and the increase in activity in Chalkida.

 

The Neorion Shipyard in Syros and the Elefsis Shipyards have repaired more than 500 ships, foreign and Greek-owned, since the New York-based ONEX Shipyards and Technologies Group took over their operation in 2019. Greece now contributes significantly to the annual production value of the European shipyards, which reaches approximately 43 billion euros, and whose total value of orders for commercial and warships exceeds that of the Asian shipyards.

 

"Greece is re-emerging as a reliable shipbuilding cluster for the repair and conversion of vessels as well as the construction of new ships in the future, for both Greek and international shipowners. This renaissance follows decades of underperformance and underinvestment, which were characterized by the absence of strategic vision," Theodoros Vokos, CEO of Posidonia Exhibitions SA, stated.

 

Through a series of strategic partnerships and multi-million investments, Greek shipyard operators and the Greek government are confirming their long-term commitment to a sector that is currently estimated to represent 1% of the country's GDP. The recovery of the sector will further strengthen both the economy and the security of Greece.

 

Greece's shipbuilding industry sets the bar high in 2024

 

The Greek shipbuilding industry is setting the bar high for 2024. According to the estimates of "Naftemporiki", more than 500 commercial ships of all types carried out repairs in the country in 2023.

 

Only in the Onex Group (Syros and Elefsis shipyards, which gradually became operational last year), approximately 170 large ships were built. Also, 270 ships of all types and sizes were accommodated in the Perama Shipyard Repair Zone of the Piraeus Port Organization.

 

The situation is expected to further improve in 2024. The Skaramangas Shipyards have carried out work on 10 commercial ships in only 45 days of operation.

 

Skaramangas Shipyards

 

The Greek-owned chemical tanker "Alfa Sea" of the ENEA Management company, inaugurated Skaramangas Shipyards this year. So far, repairs have been made to 10 ships in the country's largest shipyards. Thanamaris currently has two large tankers in the shipyards. More specifically, maintenance work is carried out on the ships "Seagrace" & "Seasprite."

 

Onex Group

 

Onex Group expects more than 200 ships for repairs at the Elefsis and Syros shipyards in 2024. Recently, the Elefsis shipyards inaugurated tank No. 3 (aframax), which was renamed to "Stavros Niarchos", while No. 2 was renamed to "Stratis Andreadis" and No. 1 to "Yiannis Goulandris".

 

Panos Xenokostas, president of ONEX, recently revealed that he will sign an agreement with the Attica group for the construction of an eco-cruise ship by the end of May.

 

Xenokostas also announced that two 28-meter tugboats will be built at the Elefsis Shipyards on behalf of a Greek company.

 

Port of Piraeus

 

At the same time, the port of Piraeus is constantly raising the standards of the services it offers. Two new shipbuilding cranes, double level luffing jib cranes, arrived in Piraeus on Friday, April 5, in order to be unloaded in the immediate future at positions 1 and 2 in the Perama Shipyard Repair Zone for which they are intended.