New growth opportunities for ports, shipyards and logistics

A new chapter for Greek ports, logistics and the shipbuilding industry is opening with the deepening of trade relations between the European Union and India, following the Free Trade Agreement between the two sides.

The European Union-India Free Trade Agreement, which was signed after two decades of negotiations, creates a new, expanded field of opportunities, covering a market of approximately 2 billion people.

The gradual lifting of tariffs on almost all trade flows, from cars and machinery to medicines, textiles and financial services, creates significant opportunities for Greek ports, but also competitive challenges, which Greece is called upon to strategically exploit.

The strategic opening of Salamis Shipyards to the Indian shipbuilding industry, through cooperation for the transfer of Greek know-how to an ambitious project for a new shipbuilding unit in India, is also part of the same geoeconomic framework.

The combination of trade, ports and shipbuilding highlights shipping as a key pillar of the Greek-Indian strategic cooperation, with a long-term development footprint.

Key role

“The sealing of trade relations between the European Union and India is part of a broader geopolitical framework of the rearrangement of global supply chains. Routes such as IMEC, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Suez Canal are redefining the role of Europe’s maritime gateways and in this environment Greek ports are de facto at the center,” Panagiotis Anastasopoulos, president of the Hellenic Ports Association (ELIME) and president and CEO of the Port of Patras Authority emphasized to “N”.

He added that the development of Greek ports as central European logistics hubs is now a strategic need for European competitiveness. In order to respond,
high-capacity infrastructure, a strong and functional intermodal transport chain, digital and customs tools for rapid cargo movement, as well as security and resilience in operations are required.

He stressed that the Greek government has already worked systematically in this direction, investing in port infrastructure, interconnections and institutional reforms, while adding that ELIME is actively contributing to ensuring that Greek ports are ready to welcome and serve new trade flows in terms of reliability, but also geostrategic value in these historic moments.