Posidonia Hits Record Size, and 2018 Could Be Bigger
The Posidonia conference attracted a record number of attendees this year: 22,000 shipping industry professionals came to the Athens Metropolitan Expo this week to network and to do business with over 1,800 exhibitors from around the world. The visitor count was 14 percent above the last record, set in 2014, and attests to the importance of the conference, even in a down shipping market.
Organizers are already receiving so many requests for exhibition space for the next Posidonia – to be held June 4-8, 2018 – that they expect they will have to rent even more than the 10 indoor acres they booked this year, up to and including the full capacity of the hall. Abu Dhabi Shipyards, IntraMare, MIE, Drew Marime Chemicals, Ocean King, Marita and the delegations of Denmark and Holland are among the major exhibitors already planning to return.
“Posidonia 2016 has managed to set new records in floor space, number of conferences and seminars as well as visitor numbers showcasing the unrivaled appeal the event enjoys amongst the world’s maritime community,” said Theodore Vokos, Executive Director, Posidonia Exhibitions S.A. “The vote of confidence we receive from our repeat exhibitors is a recognition that gives us the confidence and drive to work even harder.”
Posidonia was held from June 6-10 at the Athens Metropolitan Expo. The event was organized under the auspices of the Greek shipping community and five major associations representing Greek shipping: the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Municipality of Piraeus, Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, Union of Greek Shipowners, Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee, Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association and Association of Passenger Shipping Companies.
This year’s conference hosted many key dignitaries, including Greece's Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim and EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc. Conference highlights included a day-long session on ballast water management systems and regulations, a panel on CO2 emissions and COP21, a mentorship and discussion panel for young executives in shipping, and a working lunch between Greek shipowners and EU representatives to discuss policy issues. And even at a low period for ordering activity, it was still a platform for deals on shipbuilding, ship repair and collaborative partnerships. Among other newbuilding news, Posidonia hosted the announcement of the largest order of the year so far for a South Korean shipbuilder.