Charalambos Fafalios, Chairman of the Greek Maritime Cooperation Committee of London, laid out a strategic vision for enhancing the Greek flag during the Committee’s New Year event in the City of London.

Fafalios recognized the progress made so far but stressed that further actions are needed to make the Greek flag a top choice for Greek shipowners and to attract them back. He highlighted the persistent “bureaucratic wall” as a significant barrier, deterring shipowners from registering their vessels under the Greek flag.

To address this, he called on the government to streamline processes and introduce a more flexible and efficient regulatory framework tailored to the dynamic needs of global shipping. According to Fafalios, reinforcing the Greek flag is essential for the maritime sector and critical to ensuring Greece retains its status as a dominant force in international shipping.

Fafalios also underlined the importance of strengthening maritime education in Greece. He advocated for expanding infrastructure, upgrading facilities, and increasing the number of qualified teaching staff to improve training standards and foster a new generation of skilled Greek seafarers. This, he noted, is vital to sustaining the competitiveness of Greek shipping on a global scale.