Course set for the biggest ever Posidonia

Posidonia 2024 is already on track to be the biggest ever in the long history of the world’s most prestigious shipping exhibition, as the safety and resilience of the international maritime community take center stage during a crucial year underpinned by a complex volatile backdrop of widespread ongoing geopolitical conflicts and the enforcement of environmental regulations.

For an industry that is responsible for over 80% of the volume of global trade, the issues are hot, the stakes are high, but the mood is optimistic, as decision makers ponder about the impact of prolonged international conflicts on the freedom of navigation, and their companies race to comply with sustainability directives that are causing concerns for stakeholders within the shipping community.

Over 2,000 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors are expected to converge at Athens’ Metropolitan Expo Center on June 3-7 for Posidonia 2024, which is set to emerge as the epicenter of global shipping for navigating these challenges and fostering crucial dialogue to shape the future of maritime trade. The industry’s constant diversification is reflected by some 45 newcomers to Posidonia, who represent both software and hardware products as well as government agencies from around the globe.

Posidonia Exhibitions Managing Director Theodore Vokos said: “This year’s Posidonia timing is perfect, as it will be held at a time when many parameters affecting shipping will have to be discussed and new initiatives will be launched. The last couple of years have been geopolitically challenging, with new crises erupting around the globe and shipping having to adapt to new challenges every six months. The wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the temporary closure of the Red Sea passage, limitations on the Panama Canal, and other challenges have affected planning and operations of the entire shipping industry.

“In addition, new regulations and the industry’s drive to meet sustainability demands have been the catalyst for the latest industry developments. New technologies will be showcased and fuel options will be once again discussed at Posidonia 2024, as the industry rushes to meet the 2030 and 2050 environmental goals. This interaction between policy makers and industry on the exhibition floor and the conference halls creates fruitful dialogue and creates the conditions which will allow shipping to become a sustainable industry,” he added.