The world of shipping at the Slide2Open Shipping Finance 2021 Conference

The IMO Goodwill Ambassador in Greece and President of the Eugenides Foundation Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis participated in the conference.

The 4th Slide2Open Shipping Finance 2021 Conference was successfully completed, remaining “faithful” to its annual meeting with the world of Shipping.

Ninety prominent personalities from the sectors of shipping, banking, commerce, science, and technology, as well as representatives of state and regulatory authorities, among them the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Mr. Giannis Plakiotakis, the Minister Digital Governance Mr. Kyriakos Pierrakakis, the Chair of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and Executive Chairman of ENESEL PTE. LTD, Mr. Esben Poulsson, the President & Chairperson of the Board of BIMCO, Dr. Sadan Kaptanoglu, the IMO Goodwill Ambassador in Greece and President of the Eugenides Foundation, Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis.

In his noteworthy speech, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Mr. Giannis Plakiotakis referred to the importance of shipping for the European Union and the national economies, acknowledging that the pandemic brought to the surface the weaknesses οf the governance system and the implemented policies.

Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis, International Maritime Organization (IMO) Goodwill Ambassador in Greece and President of the Eugenides Foundation, stressed that the basic principles, adaptability, technology, proper education, and training of seafarers, are the elements that sustained shipping during the pandemic. Mr. Leonidas Dimitriadis-Evgenidis stressed the fact that great effort is needed to regain the confidence of the youth who want to pursue a future at sea, and we need to give emphasis on attracting young people to the maritime professions, which were severely hit during the pandemic, as a major disadvantage was the inability to repatriate crews. Finally, he stated that discussion with all stakeholders and impact studies are needed to avoid the mistakes of the past.