Greece’s shipping community symbolizes the potential and resilience of the Greek people, the U.S. Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt said on Wednesday in a speech at the SeaNation Conference, held at the Eugenides Foundation.

“Your community symbolizes the great potential and resilience of the Greek people. The work you do helps to keep the world economy open, dynamic, and free, just as the strength and resolve of the Greek people and the Greek state help bring peace and prosperity to Greece’s neighborhood,” he said.

“The size and global impact of the Greek shipping industry is a tremendous accomplishment, for which the Greek people are justifiably proud.”

Pyatt noted that the United States helped rebuild the Greek shipping industry after World War II, by facilitating the sale of hundreds of Liberty Ships to Greek ship-owners, thereby helping to create the modern shipping industry.

He said the two countries will continue to strengthen their cooperation, noting 2018 is on course to be “a groundbreaking year” for their bilateral relationship.

He announced that the State Department’s Assistant Secretary for European Affairs, Wess Mitchell, is arriving in Athens on Wednesday for his first visit, while Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis will be travelling to the United States where he will sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the State University of New York Maritime College and the Maritime Academy of Hydra. “This agreement, the first of its kind for the United States and Greece, will allow for greater academic exchanges between mariners from our two countries,” he said.

Kouroumblis will also sign an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard to allow mutual recognition of Greek and American seafarers’ certificates, which will result in American seaman being able to receive essential maritime training aboard Greek-flagged vessels.

Pyatt also expressed hope the two countries will enhance bilateral investment cooperation, particularly in the field of energy, with Greece “serving as a regional hub and supplies energy from diverse sources to Europe”, as well as U.S. investment in Greek shipping, ports, and shipyards.

“And American companies are finding opportunities here. I traveled to Syros last year and saw firsthand the potential of that historic shipyard, which ONEX is now working to unlock and further develop. I look forward to returning to Syros later this year for the re-opening of the shipyard under new U.S.-based ownership,” he said.

Pyatt also mentioned of the American interest for the port of Alexandroupolis. “The strategic position of this port was on full display last year, when elements of the U.S. Army’s 10th Combat Air Brigade used it as a staging area for helicopters and cargo returning back to the U.S. from Romania,” he said.

“Last week the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army’s 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Brigadier General Maiocco was in Greece to visit and to see firsthand the potential to develop this strategic infrastructure of Alexandroupoli. And I am confident we will see strong American investor interest in the Alexandroupoli port and related FSRU.”

Source: thegreekobserver