Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras, speaking at the Piraeus Shipping Club, addressed the challenges facing Greek shipping.

He emphasized that despite the significant contribution of Greek shipping to the economy, accounting for 7.9% of GDP, policy measures are needed to attract more ships under the Greek flag and increase their commercial management from Greece.
Stournaras highlighted that expanding services within the maritime cluster, including shipyards and new technologies, could further boost the sector's contribution to GDP and enhance Greece's export orientation.

He identified geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation and protectionism as the main challenges for Greek shipping. "The war in Ukraine and the recent conflicts in the Middle East, including attacks on commercial vessels, have impacted both maritime security and shipping routes," he said, noting the broader effect on the global economy, including disrupted supply chains and rising product prices for both producers and consumers.

He also stressed that environmental issues and green technologies have increasingly dominated the global shipping agenda in recent years.