MaltaMedia.com

Transport Malta participated at the Posidonia exhibition, the world’s leading maritime forum, held in Athens, Greece last week. The Transport Malta’s stand provided the local maritime and shipping community the ideal marketing platform to showcase Maritime Malta as an International maritime service centre at the heart of the Mediterranean. Exhibiting as Maritime Malta, the stand featured prominently in this year’s event and was given the best stand graphics award by the exhibition organisers.

Posidonia has now become the undisputed world leader of the International maritime and shipping events. The global appeal of Posidonia 2010 is reflected in a pool of impressive numbers and important stakeholders who were among the event’s 18,000 visitors from 87 nations who attended the prestigious forum. A record 1,859 exhibitors participated in Posidonia 2010 across an area of 31,000 square metres which also saw a record 21 national pavilions.

The atmosphere at this year’s Posidonia exhibition was in stark contrast with Greece’s economic woes as the Greek maritime community put together a spectacular show that sets new benchmarks in shipping networking affairs.

The event was also visited by the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, the President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, together with several diplomats and ambassadors, including Dr. Richard Vella Laurenti, Malta’s Ambassador in Greece and Mr. Konstantinos Kalogeropoulos, Malta’s Consul General in Greece.

Malta’s delegation was lead by Transport Malta’s CEO, Dr Stanley Portelli and the Registrar General of Seamen and Ships, Lino Vassallo. The Maltese delegation met several Greek ship owners and managers to discuss the opportunities associated with the Malta flag. Commenting on Transport Malta’s participation at this event, Stanley Portelli said “our participation at this event gave us an opportunity to further build upon our strong ties and relationships with the Greek shipping market, which controls the world’s second largest fleet. It also formally confirms our eagerness to continue to build upon the success we achieved so far in registering Greek tonnage whilst eyeing other opportunities in emerging markets.”