On Wednesday, 26 March 2025, the Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association (EENMA) held its Annual General Assembly and elections at its offices for the appointment of a new Board of Directors and Auditing Committee for the 2025–2028 term.
During the Assembly, President Charalambos Simantonis presented a review of the Association’s activities in 2024, as well as the work carried out during the three-year term of the outgoing Board. In his remarks, he highlighted EENMA’s initiatives and actions aimed at strengthening shortsea shipping within the evolving global geopolitical, economic, and business environment.
“The shipping industry, like many other business sectors, is navigating uncharted waters. The difference, however, is that our sector knows how to operate under conditions of uncertainty and rapid change and is trained to find viable solutions. It embraces challenges as opportunities and adapts quickly to disruptions. I am therefore confident that the same will apply to the challenges we face today,” noted Mr. Simantonis.
Taking into account the current commercial and regulatory conditions, the President of EENMA emphasised the importance of the European Presidency of the European Shortsea Network (ESN) assumed in January for a two-year term by the Shortsea Promotion Centre Greece (SPC Greece), which operates under EENMA.
He also underlined the new opportunities for direct participation in shaping the European regulatory framework, following the assignment of the European Union portfolio for Sustainable Transport and Tourism to Apostolos Tzitzikostas.
Mr. Simantonis further stressed the need to strengthen the competitiveness of European shipping, which is vital for the continent’s economic stability. This is also acknowledged in the Draghi Report, which highlights the importance of enhancing the sector’s competitiveness given its close connection with the positive economic outlook of the European Union.
In this context, he informed members about EENMA’s initiatives and discussions aimed at identifying appropriate financial instruments that will enable the modernisation and smooth green transition of the shortsea fleet, while at the same time safeguarding the sustainability and competitiveness of the sector.
Concluding his address, Mr. Simantonis thanked the members of EENMA — and particularly the members of the Board of Directors — for their dedication, trust, spirit of cooperation, and continuous support. He also expressed his appreciation to the Association’s staff and partners for their efficiency in carrying out their work.
Following the Assembly, elections were held for the new Board of Directors, which was formed as follows:
President
Charalambos Simantonis
Vice President A’
Efstratios-Panagiotis Tsalamnios
Vice President B’
Iosif Vardinogiannis
Secretary General
Elpiniki-Natalia Petraki
Treasurer
Alexandra Gkana
Members
Alexandros-Athanasios Lemonidis
Nikolaos Liapis
Stefania-Mavra Liveri
Dimitrios Papathanasiou
Following the elections, Mr. Charalambos Simantonis, in his renewed capacity as President of the Board, congratulated the re-elected members and welcomed the newly elected ones. He also reaffirmed — both personally and on behalf of the new Board — that EENMA will continue to operate with unity, teamwork, and within the Association’s value framework, remaining actively engaged in shaping the institutional framework for intermodal transport.
The new Board will work closely with European institutions and stakeholders to support shortsea shipping and promote sustainable and competitive policies for the sector.