Athens, Greece. Greek shipping’s global reach was highlighted at Posidonia 2026 after Nasdaq marked the opening of the international maritime exhibition in Athens with a greeting on its Times Square tower in New York.
Nasdaq message
The display on the Nasdaq Tower read: “NASDAQ Welcomes Posidonia 2026 & Wishes All Participants Good Success!”
Its appearance on one of the world’s most recognisable digital screens reflected Posidonia’s international profile and the long-standing presence of Greek-linked shipping companies in global capital markets.
Shipping minister remarks
The symbolic gesture came as Posidonia 2026 opened in Athens amid geopolitical uncertainty, pressure on major sea routes and renewed debate over the pace of shipping’s green transition.
Speaking at the 10th Capital Link Maritime Leaders Summit, held as part of Posidonia, Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias said Greece was not only following developments in global shipping but helping shape them.
“In Greece, we cannot easily say that we are at the top, in any sector. But in the shipping sector, we can support it and be sure that we are the leading power on the planet,” he said.
Kikilias said the scale of Greek shipping gives the country both influence and responsibility. He said Greece has around 5,800 Greek-owned ships, representing 19 to 20 per cent of the global fleet and 61 per cent of the European fleet, with activity in more than 171,000 ports and port approaches worldwide.
“This is a success story, of which we are proud, and goes back many, many years, to our tradition, to our relationship with the sea,” he said.
Global maritime policy
Kikilias said Greece must be present where decisions are made, including at European level, within the International Maritime Organisation, and in wider global discussions on the future of the sector.
“We respect every point of view. We comply with every law. We believe in the IMO. We really want a global framework. We really want to cooperate and work with everyone. But we are present with our own policies,” he said.
