Competitiveness and strength of Greek Registry are top priority of ministry

Greece's deputy minister of Shipping and Island Policy Stefanos Gikas outlined the measures taken to enhance the competitiveness of the Greek shipping register during a session in Parliament, March 10.

He highlighted the ministry's goal to attract more vessels to the Greek flag, focusing on modernizing the ship registration process. Gikas explained that recent initiatives aim to simplify procedures, such as the launch of electronic applications to streamline bureaucratic tasks for seafarers.

These include 'myNaftiliaLive.gov.gr' for scheduling appointments, 'e-Seafarer's Portal', which will digitise the seafarer registry, and the 'e-Registry' for registration issues, developed with the ministry of Digital Governance. As Gikas noted "With the electronic version of the Seafarer's Registry, the entire maritime service of each seafarer will be recorded in real-time, which will significantly facilitate and accelerate the times and procedures for granting NAT's [Seamen’s Pension Fund] pensions."

Gikas also noted the growth of the Greek shipping industry, with the number of registered shipping companies rising to 1,647, up from 1,343 in 2015. Most ships joining the Greek register are modern, eco-friendly vessels, contributing to lower greenhouse gas emissions, he said. He also added that "the e-Registry is expected to be completed within the next 12 months, with the total budget for the action amounting to €1m." Concluding, Gikas reaffirmed that the ministry's efforts to enhance Greek shipping's global competitiveness are ongoing and require continued dialogue with international partners and strategic planning.