Moore Greece was honored to participate in the 16th Hydra Shipping Conference 2025, a landmark annual gathering for the global maritime community. On Saturday, September 6th, distinguished shipowners, senior executives, advisors, academics, and historic Hydra families came together to exchange views on this year’s thought-provoking theme: “Conflicts and Geopolitics in Shipping: Are They Changing the Rules of the Game?”
The debate was dynamic and insightful, with passionate contributions on geopolitics, decarbonization, technology, and talent attraction.
- Prof. George Prevelakis stressed that we are witnessing a partitioning of the world into regional centers, disrupting free trade and creating deep geopolitical uncertainties for our already fractured globalized economy.
- Mr. Panos Laskaridis underlined that the strengthening of competitors threatens Greek shipping, urging Greece — alongside fellow maritime nations Cyprus and Malta — to assert greater influence at the EU level.
- Mr. Andreas Andrianopoulos identified a leadership crisis within the EU and warned about its implications for shaping a coherent strategy to defend our interests amid geopolitical turbulence.
On the green transition, distinguished participants including Dr. George Pateras, Mr. George Alexandratos, and Mr. Philippos Philis debated the sector’s progress and stressed the importance of the upcoming IMO meeting in October. The industry expects an updated framework for 2030–2040 that realistically addresses the challenges of decarbonization, especially regarding alternative fuels. Dr. Pateras also questioned the effectiveness of measures such as the EU ETS — a remark that drew strong applause.
Dr. Nikos Tsakos reiterated the critical role of maritime education and investment in seafarers’ wellbeing, while also emphasizing the equal opportunities now available for young men and women to pursue careers at sea.
A warm thank you to Mr. John Sahinis and Mr. George Tsavliris for once again delivering a highly successful event — one that brought together some of the most influential voices in the maritime cluster and offered invaluable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities ahead.
