THE MARITIME INDUSTRY TODAY
ADRIATIC TANKERS
April 29, 2014
AN ARTICLE BY PANAGIS ZISSIMATOS
The global shipping today is on the one hand at a very critical situation and on the other hand at a point that decisions need to be taken for its own future. It is a fact that the global economic recession has also continued during this present year, and this has deteriorated the shipping market.
This fact however is a result of the current global economy and the development rate of the major economies. For example, the dry Bulk carriers market is indissolubly connected with the financial situation of the major global economies such as China which due to the structural changes which has adopted, is in a phase of continuous deceleration in which is also heading this current year.
In the tanker market and more particularly in crude and chemical tankers, the most significant role again will play the major global economies, which are also the most significant consumers of that type of products. With today’s shrinking of the global economy, it is obvious that the above mentioned shipping sectors will also continue to face great pressure.
Lastly as regards the LNGs it has to be mentioned that it is still very early to have a whole and entire clear aspect for this specific market. It is however a fact that the demand for these products from the developed economies is finite and this of the developing countries is still at embryonic stage as well as the networks of these countries either are in poor condition or do not exist at all.
Given the above, it has also to be stressed that along with the global shipping sector, the Greek shipping sector is also in front of a very crucial crossroad. In order to be able to pull through these adverse circumstances and challenges, it has to go back to basics, to all those values that led Greek shipping during the past decades to over expand and become one of the top and leading globally.
Greek Shipping has to take advantage of all its comparative advantages such as the know how and the high expertise of the Greek seamen but also to recreate all those conditions that will permit young Greek people, to engage again in shipping sector which is their natural space and to seek their personal prosperity and development during these difficult times that Greece is facing so many financial difficulties, through the development of the Greek shipping that has all the elements to get through the crisis that strikes the global shipping sector today, and to stare the future with optimism because shipping is the most significant and the privileged sector of the Greek economy, and Greece should and can take advantage of it.