In the background of one of the most crucial diplomatic and political decisions of the Greek government, a quiet but intense thriller has unfolded, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the lead, the Minister of Shipping and Insular Policy Vassilis Kikilias, the president of the Greek Shipowners’ Association, Melina Traylos and leading officials of the EU.EU and the United States. Greece’s final decision to abstain from voting at the 2nd Extraordinary Session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC.ES/2) at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the ambitious Net Zero Framework (NZF), the new framework for zero gas emissions in the shipping, did not come out of the blue, but was the result of a chain of intensive consultations, diplomatic pressure and national calculations that lasted over a month.

The plan, which had the backing of the European Union, provided for strict timetables, a heavy financial footprint and penalties for ships that do not use alternative fuels even though they are not yet available on an industrial scale. Greece, a maritime superpower with the largest fleet in the world, was at the heart of the negotiations, called upon to strike a balance between complying with European commitments and protecting its strategic advantage.