Featuring 38 distinguished speakers from the government, the Armed Forces, the international shipbuilding, shipping and business communities, as well as 490 delegates and representatives of international organisations from the United States and South Korea, the annual BLUE STRATEGY SUMMIT 2026 conference, organised by the Hellenic Shipbuilders’ Association (EEN), took place on Monday 25 May, at the InterContinental Athens, the annual BLUE STRATEGY SUMMIT 2026 conference, organised by the Hellenic Shipbuilders’ Association (EEN).
The conference, which was held under the auspices of the Presidency of the Republic and with the support of the Ministries of National Defence, Maritime Affairs and Island Policy, Development, Infrastructure and Transport, Environment and Energy, and Labour and Social Security, highlighted the strategic importance of the shipbuilding industry, shipping, infrastructure, energy and defence production in the new geopolitical and geo-economic environment.
The discussions centred on the need to formulate a unified national “Blue Strategy”, which would link shipping, ports, the shipbuilding industry, defence, transport and energy infrastructure within a single developmental and strategic framework, whilst there was a shared view that Greece now has a historic opportunity to become a hub of industrial, energy and defence power in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The start of the proceedings was marked by the Speech by Panos Xenokostas, President of the Hellenic Shipbuilders’ Association and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the ONEX Group, who presented the Greek Shipbuilding Manifesto. The strategic vision for the period 2026–2030, centred on the creation of a modern European shipbuilding ecosystem through cooperation between Greece, the USA and South Korea.
As he emphasised, Greece has the potential to become a bridge between Europe, America and Asia, by capitalising on its geographical location, its energy infrastructure and the revival of its shipyards.
The remarks made by the US Ambassador had a significant geopolitical impact Kimberly Guilfoyle and the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Ju-seong Lim.
Ms Guilfoyle placed particular emphasis on the strategic partnership between Greece and the US in the Eastern Mediterranean and on the importance of a stable investment environment for shipping and infrastructure, whilst Mr Lim highlighted the long-standing relationship of trust between the Greek shipping industry and the South Korean shipbuilding industry.
Moreover, in their speeches, government officials emphasised the strategic dimension of the shipbuilding sector’s restructuring.
Specifically, the Minister for Development Takis Theodorikakos spoke of the need to strengthen Greece’s industrial base and revive shipbuilding, whilst the Minister for Labour Niki Kerameos highlighted the crucial role of human resources and technical training, presenting the operation of the DYPA apprenticeship school within the shipyards.
The Minister for Shipping and Island Policy Vasilis Kikiliasnoted that Greece can no longer act as a passive observer of developments in the shipping industry, but as a shaper of the new international reality, whilst emphasising the state’s commitment to providing institutional and legislative support for investment in the shipbuilding industry.
In the field of infrastructure and transport, the Deputy Minister for Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis outlined the strategic role of the Vertical Railway Corridor stretching from the Baltic States to Alexandroupoli, as well as the efforts to restart domestic production and the refurbishment of rolling stock. At the same time, he made special reference to the connection between ports and rail networks, energy security and the geostrategic importance of logistics and transport infrastructure.
The Deputy Minister of National Defence Athanasios Davakis emphasised that the provision for domestic industry’s participation in defence procurement programmes constitutes a strategic choice for national autonomy, whilst particular reference was made to the need to maintain and develop design capacity and technical expertise in Greece, whilst the Deputy Minister for Shipping and Island Policy Stefanos GikasHe emphasised the importance of the shipbuilding sector to the restructuring of the country’s industry.
A significant part of the conference was devoted to the defence aspect of the shipbuilding industry and the need to strengthen domestic production capacity.
Ο Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Houpis He described the sea as a fundamental pillar of national security and emphasised the need to develop autonomous systems, network-centred operational capabilities and strengthening cyber security.
On the defence industry side, representatives from EAS, the EFA Group, Theon International and other companies spoke about the prospects for international expansion, autonomous systems, surveillance technologies and the participation of Greek companies in international defence production programmes. Particular emphasis was also placed on dual-use technologies, innovation, and research and development.
Officials from the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, including the Director-General of the GDAEE Major General Ioannis Bouras, son of ELKAK, of the EnterpriseGreece and that of EELEA highlighted the need to create a comprehensive innovation ecosystem linking universities, industry, start-ups and defence applications. At the same time, it was emphasised that Greece must develop ship-design capabilities and invest in high value-added sectors, such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and «smart ships».
In the discussion on the new geo-economy of shipping and energy, representatives from the market and infrastructure sectors highlighted the role of Elefsina, LNG and ports as key pillars of regional energy and trade security. At the same time, it was emphasised that Greece has the potential to become a crucial hub for supply, transport and industrial activity in the wider region.
The discussion on the use of nuclear energy was also significant, as were the challenges facing the shipping industry in the new environment of rising energy costs and environmental obligations. Representatives from the shipping industry, ports and coastal shipping highlighted the impact of international crises, the cost of the green transition and the need to strengthen the competitiveness of the Greek shipping and shipbuilding industries.
The discussion on the topic «Greece as an energy and industrial hub in the new geo-economy of shipping» attracted considerable interest, with the participation of Panos Xenokostas and that of Alexandros Exarchou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the AKTOR Group.
Both parties emphasised their shared vision of developing the port of Elefsina into a new, major hub for the provision of high-quality shipbuilding, port and energy services.
The conference concluded with the shared view that Greece now has what it takes to play a leading role in the new era of shipping, industry and defence production, provided there is a long-term strategy, public-private sector collaboration, investment in technology and human capital, and the utilisation of international partnerships.
The BLUE STRATEGY SUMMIT 2026 made it clear that shipping, the shipbuilding industry, energy, infrastructure and defence are no longer distinct policy and economic sectors, but a unified sphere of strategic power, competitiveness and national resilience for Greece in the coming decade.
Watch the entire conference, as it was live-streamed via the YouTube channel, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po-OwjiZSYQ&t=16186s