On Tuesday 19 December 2023, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Ioannis Kefalogiannis attended the 1 st Conference of the Hellenic Shipyards Association.

In his brief speech, Mr Kefalogiannis addressed the creation of the Hellenic Shipyards Association, underlining that the leadership of the Ministry of National Defence aims at a stable and productive cooperation with all of its members and institutional representatives. At the same time, he pointed out that the new challenges that are created due to ongoing geopolitical developments, offer the chance for Greece to become a true ship-building hub of the Mediterranean, and, consequently, dramatically upgrading the geopolitical value of the country and its defence fortification.
In his address, the Deputy Minister of National Defence stated:
“It is a great pleasure and honour for me to be invited to the first conference of the Hellenic Shipyards Association. A conference which, in my opinion, is of historic character; not only because it takes place on a financially positive situation for our country – the best one of the past fifteen years – but mainly because it comes to verify the rebirth of an emblematic field for our country,
namely that of the ship-building industry.
The rebirth of this field is also evident in the creation of its own official, powerful, institutional means of expression: the Hellenic Shipyards Association. Those of us, who one way or another, are responsible of
managing common affairs and defending public interest, cannot help but express our satisfaction, because it is not only the business sector that operates in ship-building that gathers around this institution, but also the sum of the businesses that support and are necessary for the function of shipyards. Namely, small and medium-sized businesses, the function of which gives life to whole local societies and are the steam engine of their economy.
For the leadership of the Ministry of National Defence, the ship-building sector is crucial for the defence and security strategy of our country: One possesses a powerful navy only when they have a technologically modern fleet, which is sufficient in numbers, and when they have the ability to support it, mainly through the maintenance and repair of ships in shipyards of their own country. It is also crucial in order to support the geopolitical position of our country andenhance our defence alliances. To put it simply, the European Union is seriously interested in its strategic autonomy, resilience, energy independence, and defence. Hence, the strategic importance of shipyards and ship equipment manufacturers cannot be ignored. Greek ship-building and repairing capabilities maintain an important advantage when it comes to western demands. And it is not only commercial needs that I am referring to, as we have a great mobility in defence ships, which are not exclusively Greek. From this viewpoint, the geopolitical developments that have been shaped due to the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the new state of war in the Middle East, don’t simply create new challenges, but also offer a real chance: For Greece to turn into a real ship-building hub of the Mediterranean, dramatically upgrading the geopolitical value of our country, and enhancing – this time
through its economy – its defence fortification.
The leadership of the Ministry of National Defence, which I have the honour to represent today, aims at a stable and productive cooperation with all the members and institutional representatives of the Hellenic Shipyards Association. It also aims at a healthy and sturdy cooperation of the Hellenic Navy with Greek ship-building businesses, for which in the past thirty years, the darkest time of their history, it has been their greatest lifeline. A powerful ship-building industry means, among others, a defensively powerful Greece. Consequently, as government, and particularly as Ministry of National Defence, we have a duty to support every initiative that contributes to the further rejuvenation of the sector, and promote the implementation of those reforms which will render the function of its businesses easier. Greece deserves a ship-building and repairing industry that responds to the demands of its merchant and defence fleets. The Hellenic Shipyards Association has all the elements which guarantee its leadership in this great national mission. And I am certain that this attempt will have the unwavering support of the Greek society.
Thank you.”