Alongside Posidonia, the prestigious annual maritime exhibition, the Philippine Embassy in Athens organized its “2nd Philippine Maritime Forum” on May 29, at the Piraeus Marine Club.
The forum featured speakers from the Philippines’ maritime, trade, and investment agencies, including Nenita S. Atienza of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Katrina Banzon of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC-Paris), and Renato W. Lee III of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). George Xiradakis, president of the Association of Banking and Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping, and Nick Stasinopoulos chairman of the Hellenic-ASEAN Business Council (HABC) also joined.
Discussions focused on cruise tourism, port development, shipbuilding and ship repair, and maritime financing.
In his exclusive interview with Kathimerini, Philippine Ambassador to Greece Giovanni E. Palec said: “The 2nd Philippine Maritime Forum was held in order to invite the Greek maritime community to take advantage of the available opportunities that the Philippine maritime industry offers, including becoming a strategic maritime partner that would further expand and consolidate both countries’ position in the global maritime and shipping industry.” He said “Greece can unlock the vast potential with the decades-long partnership between the Greek shipowners and Filipino seafarers in the international maritime sector as the foundation for further collaboration that would have a positive and significant impact for both maritime nations.”
