By
Alex Smith |
The Posidonia exhibition is expected to set new records for exhibitor numbers and floor space at its upcoming 2020 edition this summer, as over 2,000 exhibitors fill the 50,000 square metres of the Athens Metropolitan Expo in Greece.
Taking place from 1-5 June, the biennial exhibition will bring together tens of thousands of trade visitors from across the world with the Greek shipping community as the event enters its sixth decade. Among the key topics of discussion this year will be the impact of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) low sulphur regulations, which were introduced in January. The viability of the regulations and the industry’s readiness for them will be discussed at several conferences and seminars, and the issues will be highlighted at two separate events organised by the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association and the Hellenic Institute of Marine Technology.
“This year’s Posidonia Exhibition is taking place at a time that marks major changes in the global shipping industry,” said Theodore Veniamis, president of The Union of Greek Shipowners. “The implementation of the global sulphur cap in marine fuels, with whatever challenges this has raised, and the ongoing discussions at the IMO about the adoption of short and medium-term measures for the reduction of the carbon dioxide emissions from ships are two of the most important issues that the Union of Greek Shipowners has been actively following.
“We have every confidence that Posidonia 2020 will once again provide a valuable platform for constructive discussions on such policy issues, in addition to the commercial and business goals they have been serving successfully over so many decades,” he continued
The exhibition is expected to welcome over 50 new exhibitors, including major oil company Total and national pavilions for Sri Lanka and Romania. More than 20 scrubber manufacturers have also committed to appearing at the event, along with 15 bunker traders and consultants.
“Demand for Posidonia 2020 space is growing strong each and every day, thanks to many new and even more returning exhibitors from every conceivable maritime industry sector and market segment,” said Theodore Vokos, managing director of Posidonia Exhibitions, the organisers of the event. “The industry has to walk a tightrope to balance between the implementation of the low sulphur regulations and IMO’s stated goal for gas emissions reduction by 50% within the next three decades. Shipping is undergoing transformational changes in order to comply, and that is driving investment in R&D and new technologies. Posidonia is the ideal forum to showcase solutions and to network with a captive audience of potential buyers, partners and suppliers.”