Greece to buy 142 new ships from China

Greek ship owners have recently signed contracts to buy 142 new ships from Chinese shipbuilding companies, notwithstanding the serious economic crisis being faced by Athens.
The orders, which were signed in April, accounted for more than 60 per cent of the recent global orders of Greek ship owners, Greek Shipping Minister Kostis Moussouroulis said here.
The shipping industry, including shipbuilding, is one of the most important sectors for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.
In the next decade, China will remain an important global exporter and become an increasingly important importer, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the Greek minister as saying.

The new orders are the investment of Greek ship owners for the future, said Moussouroulis.
Wang Qi, general manager of Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co Ltd said Greece has become an important client of China's shipbuilding enterprises.
As one of China's major shipbuilding companies, Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co Ltd has built a total of 67 ships for Greek ship owners in recent years, accounting for about 30 per cent of the company's output, Wang said.
Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is on an official visit to China this week and held talks with top Chinese leaders on the economic recovery plan being implemented to revive Greece's economy hit by the EU debt crisis.