Eco-friendly, smart marine equipment leads push into Greek, European supply chains

The Korea Pavilion at Posidonia 2026, held in Athens, Greece, from June 1 to 5. [KOTRA]
The Korea Pavilion at Posidonia 2026, held in Athens, Greece, from June 1 to 5. [KOTRA]

KOTRA operated a unified Korea Pavilion at Posidonia 2026 — one of the world's three largest shipbuilding and maritime exhibitions — held in Greece, the world's biggest shipowning nation, to support South Korean marine equipment companies seeking to enter the European market.

KOTRA announced Tuesday it had participated in Posidonia 2026, held in Athens from June 1 to 5, together with the Korea Marine Equipment Association (KOMEA).

Posidonia ranks alongside Germany's SMM and Norway's Nor-Shipping as one of the world's three premier shipbuilding and maritime trade shows. Held in Greece — which controls 20.2 percent of global shipping tonnage and 61 percent of EU fleet capacity — the event draws major shipowners, shipbuilders, and shipping and energy companies from around the world.

This year's exhibition drew wide attention as the global shipping industry's push toward green transition and digitalization converged with shifting dynamics in the Middle East, a reshaping of energy supply chains, and Europe's drive to strengthen strategic industrial supply chains.

Twelve companies participated in the Korea Pavilion — nine in the shipbuilding, marine equipment and eco-friendly vessel sectors, and three through a cooperative booth organized by the Ulsan Port Authority.

Before the exhibition opened, KOTRA conducted marketing outreach targeting more than 1,000 companies, including major Greek shipowners, global shipbuilders and marine equipment importers. Leading Greek shipping firms — Latsco, Chacós Group, Star Bulk and TMS Cardiff — visited the Korea Pavilion as a result and discussed potential cooperation with South Korean companies.

Eco-friendly and smart vessels and decarbonization technology emerged as the dominant themes at the show. Global shipowners expressed strong interest in improving vessel operational efficiency, meeting environmental regulations and enhancing navigational safety. They paid particular attention to South Korean companies' automated ship maintenance technology, engine control components and safety management systems.

"Consultations with major European shipowners and shipbuilding industry officials were far more active than we expected," a representative of a Korea Pavilion participant said. "There were many inquiries about eco-friendly and digital transition technologies."

Meanwhile, the South Korean Embassy in Greece and the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) of Greece co-hosted the Korea-Greece Shipbuilding and Maritime Cooperation Forum on June 3. The forum covered eco-friendly vessel technology, shipbuilding and marine supply chain cooperation, and financial support mechanisms for overseas shipowners purchasing Korean-built vessels.

South Korean Ambassador to Greece Lim Ju-seong said in his opening remarks that "Korea and Greece each hold world-class competitiveness in shipbuilding and shipping," adding that he hoped cooperation between companies from the two countries would expand further "amid the new industrial environment of green transition and global supply chain restructuring."

Min Yu-ji, head of KOTRA's Athens trade office, said Greece is "the world's largest shipowning nation and a key hub of Europe's maritime industry," and pledged to "actively support South Korean marine equipment companies in expanding their networks with global shipowners and shipbuilders and accelerating their entry into the European market."


eyre@heraldcorp.com