US officials, Ambassador meet with Greek shipowners

"The meeting between the Secretary of the Interior and President of the US Energy Sovereignty Council, Doug Burgum, and seven leading representatives of the Greek shipping industry, which owns energy-transporting vessels, on the sidelines of the 6th Intergovernmental Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TEC), which took place at Zappeion, took place in a very warm atmosphere.

The meeting, which took place in a room at Zappeion, was attended by the new US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle. On the Greek side, George Prokopiou, Maria Angelicousi, Nikos Tsakos, Yiannis Alafouzos, Petros Pappas, Ioanna Prokopiou and the vice president of the Greek Shipowners' Association, Michalis Chandris.

Opening the meeting, Secretary Bergham stressed the importance of working with Greece at a time when global security and the energy supply chain are under pressure. Referring to the recent attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea, he noted that this instability “raises costs for the United States and our allies, while favoring our adversaries.”

The US secretary focused on the “strategic resilience” that the West needs to ensure energy sufficiency, noting that shipping is a central link in this chain. He praised the contribution of Greece, which – as he said – “with a small population, has 25% of the world’s fleet under the flag of international shipping companies.”

At the same time, he sent a message about the need for the US to “re-enter the shipping game dynamically”, as they have begun to do in sectors such as the mining of critical metals. “If we want a safe world, we must be present in shipping and the shipbuilding industry”, he stressed.

George Prokopiou: “Greece can support the revival of American shipping”

Taking the floor first from the side of Greek shipowners, Mr. George Prokopiou underlined the historical ties between Greece and the US, which extend from World War II to today’s geopolitical partnerships.

“Greece has always been on the side of freedom, democracy and progress”, he said characteristically, expressing the support of Greek shipping for the American initiative “to make shipping great again”.

Proposing a practical plan for cooperation, he noted that the US can immediately utilize Greek ships through a preemptive commercial arrangement, without having to wait for the reconstruction of the entire shipbuilding industry.

“Ships are floating pipelines. You can have them available immediately, at a lower cost and without the delays of infrastructure,” he stressed, underlining the strategic flexibility offered by maritime energy transport.

The president of Tsakos Energy Navigation, Nikos Tsakos, described the meeting as “historic,” as – as he said – “it is one of the few times we talk about shipping without feeling guilty.”

He pointed out that the sector, despite transporting “60–80% of all goods and energy in the world,” remains fragmented and without a political voice. He expressed his satisfaction with the US government’s intention to bring shipping back to the center of the economic strategy, while he reiterated the willingness of Greek companies to cooperate with American shipyards and host American cadet officers on their ships.

“Instead of traveling with empty ships to China, we can directly serve the needs of the US, reducing costs and emissions,” he said, proposing practical steps to strengthen maritime cooperation.

Ms. Maria Angelicoussis, head of the Angelicoussis Group, referred to the long-standing relationship between the two countries, from the Liberty ships of World War II to today’s cooperation in energy, security and defense.

She emphasized that Greek shipping transports 25% of global energy cargo and 30% of goods, with many companies being family-owned, flexible and with deep know-how.

“Our company alone has transported 10% of US energy exports in the last year, with 700 safe approaches to US terminals,” he said, highlighting the role of Greek shipowners as reliable carriers of US energy power.

At the same time, he referred to the need for human resources: “Our seafarers are the most valuable asset. We invest in the new generation, we train 800 cadets every year and we are open to cooperating with US naval academies.”

Closing the meeting, Mr. Petros Pappas, CEO of Star Bulk, welcomed the US delegation to Greece, underlining the historical friendship and the long-standing alliance between the two countries.

"Greece, with a fleet of over 150 ships in our company alone, essentially manages over 1% of global GDP," he said, pointing out that shipping remains a pillar of the international economy.stability.

The Greek shipowner hoped that this meeting would be the beginning of a new era of “real maritime cooperation” between the two sides of the Atlantic.

Energy, shipping and geostrategy: a new chapter in Greek-American relations

The meeting in the framework of P-TEC proved that energy security is not only a matter of production, but also of transportation. Greek shipping, with its know-how and fleet, offers the US a ready and reliable bridge to the global market. On the other hand, Washington sees in Greece not only a traditional ally, but a strategic partner in the era of energy transition and maritime renaissance.

Shipping, as all sides admitted, is returning to the forefront of international politics — and Greece is at the helm of this new course.