A high-level meeting between leading Greek shipowners and the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who also chairs the Energy Sovereignty Council, took place today (Thursday, November 6) at noon in one of the private halls of the Zappeion Megaron in Athens.
The meeting was held as part of the 6th Transatlantic Intergovernmental Energy Cooperation (P-TEC) forum and focused on the strategic role of the Greek-owned shipping industry in global energy transport and maritime security.
Among those attending were prominent figures of the Greek shipping world: George Prokopiou, Maria Angelikousis, Nikos Tsakos, Yiannis Alafouzos, Petros Pappas, Ioanna Prokopiou, and the Vice President of the Union of Greek Shipowners, Michalis Chandris.
According to sources present at the meeting, the role of Greek-owned energy carriers—tankers and LNG vessels—was highlighted as critical to achieving the Trump administration’s stated goal to “Make Energy Great Again,” a phrase repeatedly referenced during the discussions.
The Greek Shipping Sector’s Global Weight
Greek-owned companies currently control 33% of the world’s tanker fleet and 25% of the global LNG carrier fleet, making Greece an indispensable player in global energy logistics.
The U.S. administration reportedly places high value on the expertise of Greek shipowners, seeking their advice in shaping energy and shipping policies—albeit in an advisory capacity. Discussions also touched upon the potential for:
- Maintenance and inspection of Greek-owned vessels in U.S. shipyards, and
- The possible reflagging of selected Greek-owned ships under the U.S. flag.
“All options are on the table,” one source familiar with the talks said.
Context: A Critical Energy Juncture
The meeting comes at a pivotal moment as Europe prepares for the post-2027 era, when Russian gas supplies are expected to be completely phased out. Simultaneously, the countdown has begun toward the implementation of the EU–U.S. energy agreement, which foresees $750 billion in U.S. energy exports to Europe over the next three years—an initiative that could reshape the continent’s energy map.
“Peace and Prosperity Through Energy”
Speaking earlier in the day, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior summarized President Trump’s energy doctrine in two words: “Peace and prosperity.”
“President Trump understands that when we have energy abundance, we have the ability to supply our friends and allies so they don’t have to buy from adversaries who fund wars or terrorism,” he said.
“When we possess this capacity, we bring not only peace, but prosperity follows. As Chris White said, prosperity comes from access to reliable, secure, and affordable energy.”
He emphasized that innovation, not regulation, is what drives progress:
“Innovation has always created greatness. Regulations hold us back, innovation moves us forward. We need affordable, reliable energy and a regulatory environment that allows innovation to thrive.
We are not in a period of energy transition, but a period of energy addition. We need more energy to sustain our current standard of living—and even more to fuel the rise of artificial intelligence and to compete with China, which continues to invest heavily in coal regardless of clean-energy goals.”
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