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PPA S.A.: Port of Piraeus: A pioneer in raising awareness and taking action for Climate Change

The tangible and immediate response of the Port of Piraeus to the major challenge of Climate Change was presented at a conference titled “The Port of Piraeus and Climate Change,” held yesterday at the PPA’s Stone Warehouse.

In the presence of representatives from the Government, Local Authorities, major stakeholders of the maritime sector and the scientific community, the Management of PPA S.A. presented the first comprehensive study of its kind in Greece, aiming at the resilience and sustainability of port infrastructure, as well as the actions that make the Port of Piraeus a pioneer in climate awareness and preparedness. The study was developed in cooperation with a consulting - research company and a specialized team from the Academy of Athens.

The Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, in his remarks said: “I know the consequences of the climate crisis – I experienced them in the harshest way in our country over the past few years. The entire Mediterranean basin is also experiencing these consequences, and unfortunately, this phenomenon is expanding — both across more sectors and more countries — causing significant problems. First and foremost, in the safety of citizens; secondly, in their infrastructure and property; and thirdly, in critical infrastructure such as our ports. I want to say that, in our view, the impossible must become possible: we must create a stronger framework for both protection and forecasting, based on these steps, so that we can rise to the occasion in the face of climate change”.

Additionally, the Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, Kostas Katsafados, stated that: “For the first time in Greece, one of Europe’s most important ports -the Port of Piraeus- is undertaking a holistic and scientifically substantiated assessment of the impacts of climate change and that the State supports efforts towards this direction”.

The Mayor of Piraeus, Yiannis Moralis, the Mayor of Perama, Giannis Lagoudakos, the Deputy Mayor of Piraeus, Dimitris Karydis, the Deputy Regional Governor of Piraeus, Stavroula Antonakou and Alexandros Koulidis, an official from the Ministry of Environment also delivered their greetings.

The actions that were necessary in order for the Port of Piraeus to adapt to Climate Change were presented by the Deputy CEO of PPA S.A., Panagiotis Tsonis. As he noted, “ports are called upon and are obligated to play a leading role in addressing climate action.”

The renowned Physicist, Secretary General of the Academy of Athens, and National Ambassador for Climate Change, Professor Christos Zerefos, spoke on the challenge of Climate Change. He emphasized that “the climate crisis is unfolding at a pace faster than previously estimated, and an increase in extreme weather phenomena is expected “.

The CEO of PPA S.A., Su Xudong welcomed all the attendees and commented that “today's event highlights the importance of collaboration for the effective promotion of the sustainable development”.

As part of the conference, the Special Study on Shielding and Adapting to Climate Change for the Port of Piraeus was presented, with its main objective being the analysis of the port’s vulnerability based on current climate models. Related presentations were delivered by Ms. Chrysanthi Kontogiorgi, Deputy Head of the PPA’s Property and Environmental Services Department; Mr. Ioannis Kapsomenakis, Researcher at the Academy of Athens’ Center for Atmospheric Physics and Climatology Research; Ms. Eleni Gouvatsou, Civil and Environmental Engineer at the Environmental Consulting Company ADENS S.A.; and Ms. Stella Kaimaki, also a Civil and Environmental Engineer at ADENS S.A.