Posidonia 2022 Shipping Event to Be Biggest Ever, Says Organizer

Thousands of global trade visitors are expected at this year’s Posidonia exhibition, the shipping industry’s most prestigious event, which this year is expected to be the biggest in its history.

Posidonia 2022 will open its doors on June 6 at the Athens Metropolitan Expo and run until June 10.

According to Theodore Vokos, the executive director of Posidonia Exhibitions, the organizer of the event, this year’s Posidonia is expected to be bigger than ever.

Speaking during a media event on Wednesday, Vokos said Posidonia 2022 will host some 1,900 exhibitors/companies and 24 national stands, all from 87 countries.

Posidonia Exhibitions S.A. Executive Director Theodore Vokos speaking to Greek journalists during a media event. Photo © GTP

“We are expecting visitor numbers to reach over 18,000… Not as high as our last event in 2018 (over 22,000) but we are on a good road to recovery considering that this Posidonia is being held after the pandemic,” he said.

It is reminded that the 2022 exhibition follows a four-year hiatus since the last time Posidonia was held in its traditional physical format (2018). It’s 2020 edition was cancelled due to Covid-19.

“This event brings the Greek economy over 60 million euros… This is revenue directed to Greek companies in the sectors of hospitality, catering/F&B, corporate events and transport,” he said, adding that the organization this year has literally covered the whole exhibition space of the Athens Metropolitan Expo center.

“There has been a gap of four years due to the pandemic, so the some 1,900 companies that will participate from around the world surely have many things to show, present and discover,” Vokos said.

Posidonia 2022 is also expecting nine government delegations from around the world, which highlights the importance of Greek shipping, Vokos added.

The exhibition will welcome official delegations from Cyprus, Malta, Poland, United Kingdom, Panama, Singapore, Liberia, the Bahamas and the Republic of Palau, an island country in the western Pacific.

Moreover, Vokos informed that the European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean will also attend Posidonia.

“Her attendance comes at a time when there are many new environmental regulations in shipping,” he said, adding that Vălean has expressed an interest to hold talks with the Greek shipping community and journalists. The commissioner is expected to give a press conference on the opening day of the exhibition.

Posidonia 2022 conference agenda

Posidonia 2022 will also offer delegates and visitors a much-anticipated platform to learn, interact and network for five days. The exhibition’s conference agenda, which includes a lineup of distinguished speakers, will deep-dive into crucial issues such as the ongoing war in Ukraine; the severe side effects of the Covid-19 induced pandemic; and the impact of sky rocketing energy prices, broken supply chains and upcoming environmental regulations.

It should be mentioned that also on Wednesday it was announced that Posidonia 2022 was certified as Greece’s first sustainable event by Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection, and certification.

Posidonia 2022 has become the first maritime exhibition to receive the ISO 20121 certification, attesting the industry’s commitment to organising sustainable events.

Posidonia is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy, the Union of Greek Shipowners and the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and with the support of the Municipality of Piraeus and the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee.