Professor of Maritime Studies at the University of the Aegean Katerina Thanopoulou spoke from Posidonia 2026 on “Fair Winds and Following Seas” on Voice of Greece.
Reflecting on the enduring relationship between Greece and the sea, she emphasized the central role maritime activity has played throughout the nation’s history:
“We Greeks owe a great deal to the sea. It has sustained us in the past, and it will sustain us in the future. Through the centuries, the sea has helped keep us alive and prosperous. As a people, we have always known how to live with it, navigate it, and achieve great things through it. Without Greek shipping, Europe would not enjoy the same degree of commercial and economic autonomy. In that sense, Greece remains one of Europe’s greatest maritime strengths.”
Professor Thanopoulou also spoke about young people, Greece, and the future of the shipping industry, noting that:
“Greece is blue. Greece is the sea. Shipping is a field of continuous learning, opportunity, prosperity, and hope. It is also an area in which Greece remains a global leader. The maritime sector attracts talented and highly capable people, and fortunately many of them choose to remain in Greece rather than seek opportunities abroad, as happens in other fields. Greek shipping continues to thrive.”
Produced and presented by Antonis Karagiannakis