Cyprus, China and EU representatives will join global maritime leaders in Athens next month for the ‘Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit’.

The summit will be co-hosted by the Hellenic Republic’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS).

Held on June 11, the high-level event will bring together ministers and decision-makers from across the maritime value chain.

Confirmed participants include Cyprus Transport Minister Alexis Vafiades, EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, China’s Vice Minister of Transport Fu Xuyin, and Karin Orsel, CEO of MF Shipping and President of ECSA.

Greek Maritime Minister Vassilis Kikilias welcomed the opportunity to host the event in a country with “a multi-millennial shipping tradition and a globally thriving shipping sector.”

He said the summit comes at a time when “the challenges of international shipping are multiplying in the everchanging geopolitical and regulatory landscape of our times.”

“Hosting this important summit in Greece bears an emblematic value for us,” he added.

“We are eager to see substantial discussions on the challenges of international shipping, which are multiplying in the everchanging geopolitical and regulatory landscape of our times,” he continued.

“I would like to thank the co-hosts and all the participants for promoting fair and realistic solutions that will help us navigate through these turbulent times,” he stated.

The theme ‘Navigating global megatrends, mitigating risk and the role of shipping in delivering economic security and prosperity’ reflects the industry’s growing exposure to geopolitical conflict, economic fragmentation, energy and food insecurity, and supply chain disruption.

The event, organised by ICS in partnership with the UGS and the Greek Ministry, is invitation-only. It aims to bridge policymakers with industry leaders from ports, shipping, finance, logistics and energy, offering a platform for open dialogue and collaboration.

UGS President Melina Travlos said the sector, like the wider world, is “going through some exceptional times” that demand “extraordinary action – and above all cooperation.”

She welcomed ICS’s initiative to convene the summit in Greece, adding that “critical international developments affect shipping deeply.”

Travlos underlined that maritime transport “is not just an industry. It is a common good, one that underpins every aspect of our everyday life.”

However, she warned, the uninterrupted provision of its services is no longer guaranteed, nor is the industry’s long-term sustainability.

“Open lines of communication and an understanding of our sector’s needs and strategic role for the global economy and people’s welfare are vital,” she said.

“We therefore welcome the ICS summit to Greece for meaningful and constructive discussions.”

ICS Chairman Emanuele Grimaldi said the sector is under more pressure than at any time in the past two decades.

“We face more challenges and threats than we have in probably twenty years,” he said.

“This is why we want to bring leaders together to discuss the best solutions at the critical intersection of policymaking and industry action.”

He added that industry and governments “must work together” – warning that the sector “cannot work in isolation.”

Grimaldi welcomed the strong early response to the summit and thanked the first senior policymakers to confirm attendance, including commissioner Tzitzikostas and Ministers Vafiades and Fu.

“The fact that we already have so many people accepting our invitation to join us in Athens shows just how timely this meeting will be for our industry,” he said.

He also thanked Minister Kikilias, his predecessor Christos Stylianides, and the UGS for their role in bringing the summit to life.

In addition to addressing macroeconomic and security issues, the event will serve as a key platform for discussions on decarbonisation and regulatory transition.

Sessions will focus on the GHG pricing mechanism, outcomes of MEPC83, and the next steps for the Clean Energy Marine Hubs initiative.

The Athens summit follows previous ‘Shaping the Future of Shipping’ events and continues ICS’s push to ensure open dialogue, practical outcomes, and a shared strategy for resilience across global trade.