On the occasion of the 26th United Nations Conference in Glasgow, the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis gave an interview to SkyNews. The interview focused on energy and maritime policy, among others. The basic parts of that interview are:
Question: Greece owns about one-fifth of the world’s fleet. Shipping is one of the activities that is most responsible for emissions right now. How can this be stopped?
Pr. Minister: Let’s put things in perspective. 90% of world trade is done by ship. Shipping is responsible for 3% of world emissions. It’s not trivial, but it’s not huge. Shipping should take its share. But it is not clear what technology will solve the problem. That’s why we need more research and development (R&D). We need to focus more on the solutions that are currently being developed.
Question: Are we talking about nuclear-powered ships or hydrogen-powered ships?
Pr. Minister: No, hydrogen is probably the most likely scenario. But we are the managers and we have to work with the shipyards, we have to work with the manufacturers of large machinery types. They are the ones who will guide the technological innovations. Shipping will be the customer of the technology, they will produce. But at the same time, we need to have a vision for the future of shipping. That is why we are setting up, in cooperation with the European Union, a research institute to explore the future of sustainable shipping. Because honestly now we do not have the answer.
Finally, referring to the prospects of energy transition of the Hellenic Coastal Fleet, the Greek Prime Minister stressed the following: “…when we talk, for example, about shipping and short-haul ships, one could imagine that these ships could be electric in the future.”
Source: Athens News Agency – Photo: Elektra
