This is not a typical institutional integration, but a move expected to reshape the relationship between port infrastructure and industrial activity in Greece, maritime circles say regarding the official entry of the ONEX Shipyards & Technologies Group into the Hellenic Ports Association (ELIME).
Some see an opportunity for faster coordination on infrastructure issues while others are weighing this development, hours after the decision was made during ELIME’s Extraordinary General Assembly, which gave the green light for ONEX to take a seat on ELIME’s board of directors.
ONEX enters ELIME and changes management in Greek ports – power realignment and challenges
Clearly, its participation in the central body of Greek ports is expected to strengthen coordination around improving infrastructure for both ports and shipbuilding-repair activities, especially at a time when ports are called upon to play a pivotal role in security, logistics, tourism and trade sectors.
We remind that ELIME’s members include thirteen Greek port organizations operating as joint-stock companies, as well as twenty-five Port Funds (Public Law Legal Entities).
At the same time, this institutional upgrade brings to the surface balance issues, as the presence of a powerful private group on ELIME’s board may reshape the union’s internal dynamics in an environment where public ports, municipal authorities and possibly different business interests coexist.
In other words, the question that arises is how this integration will contribute to collective coordination without causing unequal influence.
In any case, ONEX’s entry into ELIME, as shipyard circles say, constitutes a clear signal that the role of ports is being redefined. Whether this is a strategic upgrade of the Greek port system or a development that will test institutional resilience will be shown in practice and mainly in the decisions that will follow in the coming period.
At the same time, attention turns to the field of maritime tourism and how the concept of “integrated hub” can be extended to cruising. This means that strategic projects will immediately be set for ports as more integrated hubs. In a first positive scenario, ONEX comes to bring shipbuilding-repair expertise so that cruise ships can do quick maintenance in Greece, which will broadly be interpreted as better service, fewer delays and more arrivals.
What ONEX Group says about its integration into the Hellenic Ports Association
“This development takes on particular significance in light of ONEX Group’s strategic direction for creating an integrated hub that will functionally and operationally connect critical infrastructure, services and production capabilities,” ONEX Group executives state regarding its integration into ELIME.
As they say, institutional participation in the central collective body of Greek ports lays the foundation for more structured cooperation with port authorities, more effective coordination in development projects and initiatives, and promoting a unified approach to planning and utilizing port and industrial capabilities.
“The goal is to further upgrade the competitiveness and operational adequacy of the Greek port system, in an environment of increased international challenges and changing geo-economic conditions,” ONEX states, emphasizing that this move confirms its strategic choice to contribute to shaping a modern, interconnected and resilient development framework for Greek ports and the industry that supports them.
