Polish Register of Shipping participated in the international maritime trade fair Posidonia 2026 in Athens, one of the most important events in the global maritime industry. This year’s presence of PRS was particularly special, as the company celebrated its 90th anniversary and 30 years of activity in the Greek market, strengthening its relations with partners across the Mediterranean region.
A Strong Representation of the Maritime Sector: PRS in the Polish Pavilion
Last week, we took part in Posidonia, the international maritime trade fair held periodically at the Athens Metropolitan Expo exhibition centre. Once again, together with leading Polish entities, we co-created the Polish National Pavilion. Alongside PRS, the following organisations presented their offer and potential: Stocznia Remontowa Nauta, Stocznia Szczecińska “Wulkan” sp. z o.o., Morska Stocznia Remontowa Gryfia S.A., Fundusz Rozwoju Spółek S.A., Forum Pracodawców Gospodarki Morskiej, Famor S.A., CTO S.A., the Gospodarkamorska.pl portal, Bohamet S.A., Atos, Polska Żegluga Morska/Polsteam and JPP Marine.
The official opening of the pavilion was marked by a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. The ceremony was attended by the presidents of Stocznia Remontowa Nauta and PRS, the chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Athens, and the president of Fundusz Rozwoju Spółek.
90 Years of PRS and 30 Years in Greece – a Special Anniversary During the Fair
This year’s presence of PRS at Posidonia had a special significance due to a double anniversary: the 90th anniversary of our institution and the 30th anniversary of PRS’s presence in the Greek market. To mark the occasion, we organised a ceremonial banquet attended by our clients, the team of the PRS office in Piraeus, the full PRS Management Board, and representatives of the Head Office in Gdańsk.
In his opening speech, President of the Management Board Grzegorz Pettke thanked maritime administrations and shipowners for their long-standing trust in the Polish classification society. He assured guests that “we will continue to enhance our competences, knowledge and skills so that our clients and maritime administrations can be certain that our services are delivered at the highest level and in the spirit of substantive and constructive dialogue.” An important moment of the evening was the presentation of the PRS Honorary Badge to Aleksandros Roubinis – a distinguished employee of the Greek office, who has contributed to the success of PRS in the region from the very beginning of our presence in that market.
The Role of the Classifier in the Energy Transition – PRS President as a Speaker at the Seminar Organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland
During the fair, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Athens organised a two-hour seminar entitled “Energy Security and Critical Infrastructure in the Maritime Space of the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea – Common Risks, Shared Resilience.” Among the panellists was the President of PRS, Grzegorz Pettke.
In his presentation, he outlined the role of classification societies and the global standards they develop, including those created within the framework of IACS. He emphasised the strategic importance of classification societies in the offshore wind sector. Supervision over design, construction and operations makes it possible to optimise costs and manage capital invested in green energy and alternative fuels in a rational way. “We support banks, insurers and investors through risk analyses and technical assessments of solutions that are innovative today and will become common tomorrow,” concluded President Pettke.
More Than Business – PRS in the Posidonia Regatta and Run
Posidonia also includes prestigious accompanying sporting events, in which the PRS team actively participated. We competed in two disciplines: the Posidonia Cup regatta and the 5 km Posidonia Running race.
In the sailing competition held in the Saronic Gulf, our crew raced on a First Yacht 53 in the Standard class, competing against more than 50 vessels. In the running event, PRS was represented by Agnieszka Dekowska, Marketing Department Manager in Gdańsk, and Ioannis Tritaris, PRS Surveyor from the Piraeus office.
Participation in sporting events is not only great fun – it is an integral part of Posidonia’s culture, where business relationships are built just as effectively at the mooring lines as at the conference table.
A Key Market in the Mediterranean Region – Summary and Acknowledgements
Participation in Posidonia 2026 confirmed the strong position of PRS in the strategic market of the Mediterranean region. The event provided an excellent opportunity to present the comprehensive PRS offer in the field of classification, certification and technical supervision to entities seeking proven, internationally recognised solutions.
Posidonia 2026 once again reminded us that, despite progressing digitalisation, shipping remains an industry in which trust is built face to face – and no digital platform can replace that.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the entire team – both the employees of the office in Greece and the experts from the Head Office in Gdańsk – for their commitment to the professional preparation and execution of this event.
