Strengthening cooperation in the Mediterranean at the center of Maritime Med Athens 2025

The Maritime Med Athens 2025 Conference, held on May 28, brought together leading voices from Greece and Israel in an effort to deepen regional cooperation in the fields of maritime security, energy, technology, and trade. The event underscored the strategic importance of the Eastern Mediterranean as a corridor of peace, innovation, and shared prosperity.

200 senior business leaders from Greece and Israel, from the maritime – sea economy ecosystem, gathered to hear prominent business speakers (agenda attached) and discuss business cooperation, development of maritime and sea related resources, for the benefit of both countries and the region.

Israel and Greece, two nations connected by rich maritime histories and present-day geo-strategic interests, share a promising future of development and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean maritime region. This conference convened to discuss this future and the best way to realize the potential of this region by bilateral and the conference explored topics such as:

• The Greek-Israeli strategic Economic Alliance
• Energy Resources and development
• Security and Control of the EEZ
• “Blue” technological innovation
• Tourism cooperation
• Shipping, ports and infrastructure

Israeli Ambassador to Greece, Mr. Noam Katz, remarked that the event rises above momentary politics. He addressed the October 7 attacks, reaffirming Israel’s hope for peace and the release of hostages in Gaza. He also highlighted the mutual economic interests between Israel and Greece, particularly in the “blue economy,” referring to sustainable development in the maritime space.

Ms. Yael Tzadok, Deputy Director General for Economic Affairs at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, outlined joint strategic goals: doubling business partnerships, expanding into innovation sectors beyond tourism and real estate, and enhancing regional collaboration through EU programs like Horizon Europe. She stressed the need to leverage maritime connections as a key to future economic integration.

The Eastern Mediterranean is at a crossroads of trade, business, development and innovation, making it essential for Israel and Greece to strengthen their maritime collaboration in order to fully realize its potential.

By sharing insights, best practices, strategies, this new initiative aims to enhance the economic resilience and sustainability of the maritime sectors, facilitate meaningful dialogues and encourage partnerships that will pave the way for a prosperous maritime future.

Security and Innovation at Sea

Representatives from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) presented cutting-edge security technologies aimed at securing maritime borders.

Sami Hodeda, Head of Strategic Planning, introduced a layered defense system integrating satellites, radar, UAVs, and AI analytics, providing real-time surveillance and threat detection across territorial and international waters.

Orna Shemesh and Reuven Firstater emphasized how technological innovation—often driven by necessity—has enabled Israel to respond to evolving threats such as underwater sabotage and drone attacks. The focus, they explained, is on creating interoperable systems to share critical data with regional allies.

Energy as a Strategic Catalyst

Energy cooperation took center stage, with Mr. Chen Herzog presenting Israel’s transformation into a gas-exporting nation. He described how synchronizing renewable energy peaks between Greece (wind energy) and Israel (solar) could create a stable regional power grid. He also called for urgent decisions on long-term infrastructure projects like the EastMed pipeline and a multinational energy corridor linking the Middle East to Europe.

Energean’s leadership, including CEO Mathios Rigas and Greece representative Ioannis Grammatikidis, discussed the firm’s $3 billion investment in Israeli gas and stressed the urgency of regional collaboration. They noted that while Israel continued to supply 60% of its energy even during wartime, Egypt’s rising demand means there is currently no surplus for European exports.

Rigas highlighted the need for governments—not private companies—to resolve political disputes preventing energy field development, citing the case of the stalled Aphrodite field in Cyprus.

Greek-Israeli Tech Synergies and Strategic Needs

Technology leaders George Mangos (SOKANA) and Orestis Pitsavas (ORCA AI Greece) presented AI-driven maritime safety systems that detect mechanical faults, navigation hazards, and human errors in real time—critical for minimizing accidents and ensuring passenger vessel safety.

The Greek side emphasized national interests in partnering with Israel for smart agriculture, water desalination, and tourism development, while reinforcing the need for stronger maritime defense—especially for cruise ships and national fleets.

Finally, DESFA representative Michael Thomadakis presented Greece’s strategy for storing and trading natural gas and carbon emissions, reinforcing Greece’s role as a reliable energy hub.

The conference concluded with a shared vision: to double trade, accelerate research, and develop a resilient, innovation- driven Mediterranean region. Both nations agreed—from maritime surveillance to sustainable energy—true cooperation at sea is key to the region’s security, economy, and future.