Kikilias: Agreement for the construction of pollution control vessels at ONEX shipyards – Aiming at the revival of the Greek shipbuilding industry
The revival of the Greek shipbuilding industry through the collaboration of Greek maritime and shipbuilding enterprises was highlighted by Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Vassilis Kikilias, on the occasion of the signing of an agreement between Antipollution and ONEX.
The agreement, signed at the Elefsis Shipyards within the framework of the Posidonia 2026 maritime exhibition, entails the construction of four modern pollution-control vessels, with an option for an additional four.
The minister congratulated the Chairman of Antipollution, Vyron Vasileiadis, as well as the Chairman and CEO of ONEX, Panos Xenokostas, characterizing the collaboration as a positive example of a partnership that strengthens the Greek economy and the maritime industry.
Referring to the government’s strategy for the maritime sector, Kikilias noted that Greece is moving forward not only through its powerful presence in ocean-going shipping, coastal shipping, and yachting, but also through the continuous upgrading of the country’s shipyards and port infrastructure.
“All of this constitutes a unified ecosystem capable of creating new and better-paying jobs, boosting growth, and supporting local communities,” he stated.
He placed particular emphasis on the fact that Greek companies are now increasingly commissioning the construction of their vessels from Greek shipyards – a development that, as he stressed, represents a core objective of government policy for the revival of the sector.
The minister underlined that the development of shipbuilding can serve as an incentive for the younger generation to once again turn toward maritime professions, which, as he noted, offer significant career prospects and good remuneration.
Concluding, Kikilias expressed the hope that this specific initiative will serve as an example to be followed, contributing to the further strengthening of the Greek shipbuilding industry and the maritime economy as a whole.
PPA S.A.: Completion of Emergency Drill for Pollution Incident Response at the Port of Piraeus
Piraeus Port Authority S.A. (PPA S.A.) carried out, once again this year, in the central Port and specifically in the Ferry Terminal (Gate E7), an emergency drill for responding to incidents of marine and land pollution.
The primary purpose of this drill was the knowledge enhancement and the acquisition of specialized experience, both by the staff of PPA S.A. and by the port users, for the effective activation and implementation of the Marine and Land Pollution Response Plan. Additionally, during the execution of the drill, the available and fully operational equipment used for responding to pollution incidents was demonstrated. The drill was conducted in collaboration with PPA S.A.’s specialized contractor responsible for the implementation of the “ANTIPOLLUTION ANE” Plan, and in the presence of the competent Hellenic Coast Guard.
It is emphasized that environmental protection and the adoption of preventive measures constitute a fundamental pillar of the strategy on the basis of which the company implements the plan for the further modernization and development of the Port of Piraeus. In this context, PPA S.A. carries out numerous environmental projects and initiatives that contribute to the prevention of environmental incidents and to the formation of an overall preventive approach to contemporary environmental challenges.
The CEO of PPA S.A., Mr. Su Xudong, expressed his sincere gratitude to the staff for the proper and successful completion of the drill, emphasizing that continuous and systematic preparation constitutes a fundamental factor for the effective management of potential emergency incidents. As he noted, targeted training and regular exercises create the necessary conditions for immediate response and a high level of operational readiness.
Furthermore, Mr. Su Xudong highlighted that the Port of Piraeus is developing with absolute commitment to the principles of sustainability and environmental protection, consistently shaping the conditions to become a modern, competitive, and exemplary green port.
Following the conclusion of the drill, a special evaluation report is prepared, recording the results obtained from its execution, as well as any areas for improvement to achieve the highest possible level of operational readiness.
Greek Shipping Companies Accused of Faking Pollution Records
Greek ship owner Evridiki Navigation, manager Liquimar Tankers Management Services, and chief engineer Nikolaos Vastardis have been indicted for failing to keep accurate pollution control records, falsifying records, and obstruction of justice, the US Department of Justice (US DOJ) said.
As informed, the charges related to the falsification of records and other acts designed to conceal from the US Coast Guard (USCG) inspectors impermissible overboard discharges of oily bilge water from the Liberian-flagged oil tanker, M/T Evridiki.
According to the indictment, on or about March 11, 2019, Vastardis failed to maintain an accurate oil record book which fully recorded both the discharge overboard of bilge water that had accumulated in machinery spaces and any failure of the ship’s oil filtering equipment.
In addition, when the ship’s pollution control equipment was inspected by the USCG, Vastardis made false statements concerning how the equipment was operated at sea and demonstrated how the equipment was operated at sea in a manner designed to trick the equipment into reporting the discharge of oily bilge water at permissible levels, the US DOJ said.
The two companies and Vastardis are all charged with failing to maintain an accurate oil record book as required by the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, a US law which implements the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, commonly known as MARPOL.
The parties are also charged with falsification of records, obstruction of justice, and making false statements.
The 167,300 dwt Suezmax tanker Evridiki was built by Korean Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in 2007, according to data provided by VesselsValue. It is part of the Blue Fin Tankers Pool.
Source: worldmaritimenews