Greece Eyes Shipping Money
Greece's returning Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras decided to break up the "super-Ministry" of the Economy, Shipping and Tourism.
The shipping portfolio was handed to Theodore Dritsas who will head a stand-alone Ministry of Shipping. Dritsas served as Alternate Minister in charge of Shipping in the previous government. He has strongly objected the privatization of the Piraeus Port.
He said his priorities are strengthening the expertise of seafarers. He said the Greek shipping industry as a whole will aid economic growth in Greece.
However, he has reluctantly admitted "there are pressing conditions that no one can ignore" and is expected to implement the agreement signed with Greece's creditors which foresees the privatization of the port authorities of Piraeus and Thessaloniki.
Return of the Shipping ministry, abolished in February by Tsipras, is a positive for the shipping community, which was never comfortable with shipping being part of the Finance ministry.
Theodore Dritsas was also mayoral candidate for the Municipality of Piraeus in the 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2014 elections with a platform called "The Port of Agony".