Panos Xenokostas, Chairman and CEO of ONEX Shipyards & Technologies S.A., spoke about the contribution of shipyards to the Greek economy during an interview with Naftemporiki website director Michalis Psilos at Naftemporiki’s 10th Shipping Conference.“For roughly 30 years, skeptics in Greece had convinced us that ‘we cannot have shipyards,’ that ‘it cannot be done,’ that ‘there is no need for shipyards,’ and that ‘it does not really matter if we build or repair our ships abroad,’ in neighboring countries or in the Far East,” he said.“I would say that from 2018-19 we initially focused on what should have been self-evident: it is impossible not to have shipyards. We had to solve the issue. Are there problems? Yes. But is this sector useful? Absolutely. And it is not useful only for GDP. It is important for employment, for local communities and ultimately for the kind of Greece we want to pass on to future generations.“In recent years, we have also seen that when shipyards, shipping and energy cable routes are transformed from components of the supply chain into strategic weapons, then shipyards effectively become a decisive factor for national sovereignty, ensuring supply security and self-sufficiency.”More than 900 repairs at the shipyards“We must move away from defeatism, or the concept that ‘it cannot be done, and instead focus on ‘how it can be done.’ Since 2018-19, our shipyards have completed more than 900 repairs — a huge number. Around 80% involved Greek shipowners, who were at the forefront of this effort,” he said.“Greek shipowners not only supported us, but embraced our shipyards in Elefsis as their home — and I am grateful for that. In the end, they also demonstrated patriotism by choosing Greek shipyards.”“We should want Greek shipowners here because we are competitive and better, not because they owe us a favor,” he added.“ONEX is currently transforming into a group that is not only focused on shipbuilding, but into a broader industrial group providing solutions in infrastructure, intermodal transportation, as well as defense, commercial and energy projects,” he underlined.ONEX as a regional hub“National security can neither be bought nor imported — it must be built within our own country. Bearing this in mind, all the agreements and partnerships we have signed are links in a broader chain and part of a larger strategic plan. When we began discussions 2.5 years ago with the DFC, the Americans and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation actively supported our investment programs,” he said, adding that “our relationship with the DFC is both deepening and expanding.”“ONEX has evolved — I would not call it merely a vehicle — into an engineering hub in the region, where Western interests — as we belong to the West — meet Korea’s technological and shipbuilding expertise. And all of this is happening in our country.“It is creating a hub capable of building and supporting defense and energy projects,” Xenokostas emphasized.“One thing is certain: if we were to reach an agreement with the Hellenic Navy today, within eight to ten years we would be able to deliver the first submarines,” he explained.