Meeting of the President of the UGS, Mr. Theodore Veniamis,
 with the UK Minister of State for Transport, Mr. John Hayes

Piraeus, 14.9.2017


The President of the UGS, Mr. Theodore Veniamis, accepting a formal invitation, visited London on the occasion of the London International Shipping Week and had a bilateral meeting today with the UK Minister of State for Transport Legislation and Maritime, Mr. John Hayes.


Mr. Veniamis stressed that the traditional close ties of the Greek shipping community with the British capital remain strong and that London is still regarded by many Greek shipowners as “their second home”.

The main topic of the discussions was the common belief that there is a need to maintain and further enhance the competitiveness of Εuropean shipping.

Given the long maritime tradition of the two countries there was full agreement on the factors which play a decisive role in the competitiveness of the shipping sector, especially in these challenging times and in the face of fierce competition from countries in Asia with strong maritime centres, which endeavour to attract the shipping industries of other nations.

Special reference was also made to the issue of the maritime profession and the need for a resurgence of seamanship to ensure the preservation of maritime know-how in the two nations.

Finally, it was agreed that this constructive dialogue should continue while also taking account of the Brexit negotiations.