Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore’s Greece team successfully hosted the 27th Hellenic & Black Sea Committee  in Athens, bringing together leading figures from the maritime, energy and shipbuilding sectors to discuss the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of shipping, including the growing importance of American-Hellenic cooperation in energy and maritime affairs.

The annual Committee meeting provided a platform for strategic dialogue on energy transition, innovation, geopolitics and the evolving shipbuilding landscape.

The event opened with welcome remarks from Paillette Palaiologou, Senior Vice President, EMA, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, followed by introductory comments from Committee Chairman George Procopiou.

During the first session, dedicated to “Challenges & Opportunities”, Bureau Veritas executives Matthieu de Tugny, Executive Vice President, Industrials and Commodities, and Alex Gregg-Smith, President, Marine & Offshore, shared insights into the Group’s priorities and the evolving maritime landscape. George Procopiou also delivered the shipowner’s perspective on current market dynamics and industry priorities.

One of the key highlights of the meeting was the intervention by Josh Volz, Special Envoy for Global Energy Integration at the U.S. Department of Energy, who addressed participants on “Geostrategic bridge: shipping, energy and American-Hellenic cooperation”, emphasizing the strategic importance of maritime transport, energy security and transatlantic collaboration in an evolving geopolitical environment.

Michal Kurtyka, former Polish Minister of Energy, Climate and Environment and President of COP24, explored “The Energy Transition: from Hormuz to Resilience”, highlighting the geopolitical and energy security dimensions of the global transition.

The second session focused on “Innovation & Shipbuilding”. Francois Cadiou, Managing Director of BRS Paris, shared his perspective on the business models required to ensure the long-term sustainability of the shipbuilding industry.

Bureau Veritas experts also explored the transformative role of artificial intelligence, the evolution of shipping and classification, and the future potential of nuclear energy in maritime decarbonization.

The programme concluded with a presentation on the geopolitical legacy of World War I and its continuing influence on today’s global environment, followed by a final discussion.