Organizers of one of the biggest shipping events in the world, Posidonia 2020, have announced that the event, set to take place in October this year in Athens had to be canceled.
The bi-annual trade show had been scheduled for June 2020, however, due to the pandemic, it got rescheduled for October.
The organizers said the decision was made following consultation with many exhibitors and shipping community stakeholders, after assessing the current state of Covid-19 in countries around the world.
“The worrying increase of cases in certain jurisdictions and the inability to predict reliably where the pandemic will take us in the months ahead, compounds the uncertainty that now prevails, imposing upon us circumstances that are beyond our control,” the announcement reads.
“Furthermore, the shipment of exhibits and the complexities of international travel which are constantly being re-evaluated as events develop, pose major challenges and practical restrictions to our international exhibitors and visitors, with the distinct possibility that many will not be able to visit Greece. Without them Posidonia would not be the same.”
One of the unique characteristics of Posidonia is the opportunities it provides to meet, and socialize in and around the exhibition, which the pandemic would compromise.
“We are concerned that this special environment that brings together the Greek and international shipping communities is in danger of being undermined due to Covid-19, thus not delivering the results that everyone expects and is looking forward to at Posidonia,” the announcement further reads.
Given the circumstances, the next Posidonia is scheduled to take place in June 2022.
The 2018 edition of the event in Athens attracted 2,009 exhibiting companies and some 23,500 visitors.
It was the center stage for major deals galore and showcasing of trendsetting technologies in the maritime industry.