Meeting with Association of Short Sea Ship-owners

Commissioner Damanaki met with Mr Charalambos Simantonis, President of the Hellenic Short sea Ship-owners' Association in Athens.

The meeting was an opportunity for the Association to present some of the issues they would like to resolve, including the ones during the upcoming Greek Presidency of the European Council. They would like to see resolved, inter alia, issues concerning Pilot Exemption Certificates as well as a 'Blue Belt' proposal to facilitate maritime transport.

In return, Commissioner Damanaki informed the Association on the findings of the recent study on Exclusive Economic Zones in the Mediterranean under UNCLOS. She underlined the blue growth potential of the creation of these maritime zones, which remain an exclusive right of each coastal state.  She then highlighted the importance for the Association to be actively involved in the organisation of the European Maritime Day 2015 in Piraeus Port.