Press Release
The development of the Eastern Mediterranean into an interconnected energy corridor, capable of making a meaningful contribution to security of supply across the wider region, was at the heart of the high-level event co-hosted by HELLENiQ ENERGY and the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF) on Wednesday, 7 October, in Athens.
As HELLENiQ ENERGY CEO Andreas Shiamishis noted in his opening remarks: “Greece is a natural energy gateway to European markets, and both companies and the State have taken significant steps towards fulfilling this role, enabling energy products to reach European consumers either through the development of infrastructure such as pipelines and cables, or through transport networks by land and sea.”
The Forum was attended, among others, by Greece’s Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou; Cyprus Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Michael Damianos; Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi; Joshua Volz, Special Envoy for Global Energy Integration at the U.S. Department of Energy; as well as Osama Mobarez, Secretary General of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), and Jassim Alshirawi, Secretary General of the International Energy Forum (IEF).
Also attending were representatives of EMGF Member States, ministers and government officials, regulatory authorities, representatives of the Gas Industry Advisory Committee (GIAC), leading energy companies and energy infrastructure developers, investors, financial institutions and international energy organizations.
The Forum focused on the conditions required to connect the region’s energy resources with the infrastructure, markets and capital needed to bring them to fruition. Discussions among Energy Ministers, institutional representatives and energy industry participants, together with the thematic panels that followed, examined the key challenges involved in developing an effective regional energy system. Particular emphasis was placed on identifying energy corridors and priority projects, liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure, pipelines, storage and interconnections, as well as the conditions required to bring projects to the level of maturity necessary for Final Investment Decisions (FIDs).
The dialogue also addressed cross-border regulatory alignment, the effectiveness of permitting processes and mechanisms for allocating commercial risk. A common focus throughout the event was to translate strategic dialogue into concrete priorities that can help attract capital and accelerate the implementation of projects of critical importance.
The human dimension of energy corridor development also featured prominently on the agenda, through a dedicated session involving the EmpowerMed Women Network. The discussion focused on the leadership capabilities and specialised expertise required to deliver complex projects, as well as the contribution of women professionals to strengthening the energy sector’s human capital.
With a presence in eight countries and activities spanning the entire energy value chain, HELLENiQ ENERGY participated in the dialogue as one of Southeast Europe’s largest energy groups, highlighting the critical role of cross-border infrastructure. A notable example is the Vardax pipeline, which was brought back into operation at the beginning of the year, connecting HELLENiQ ENERGY’s facilities in Thessaloniki with the Group’s facilities in Skopje. Vardax transports transport fuels to the Republic of North Macedonia and neighbouring Balkan markets, contributing to the region’s energy security and resilience.
HELLENiQ ENERGY and EMGF supported an execution-oriented dialogue, placing particular emphasis on partnerships and the investment conditions that can strengthen the Eastern Mediterranean’s position on the regional and European energy map.
