A Greek god-like existence guaranteed the Liaoning ship for the first time, and this time it was a platform for China. It was a good friend of China. The Greek ship king said: The United States dared to charge for China ships, and its 140 ships withdrew from the U.S. route. The title of Greece as a "good friend" was not in vain. As early as more than 20 years ago, it used a "god-level operation" to help China a lot. Now it is playing a tough platform in the Sino-US shipping game, and every step is true.
At the end of the 1990s, the Chinese Navy sought to develop large surface vessels, focusing on the Soviet heritage. Ukraine sold a decommissioned aircraft carrier, named Varian, building progressed at just 68%, no engine, no radar, only a shell left. In 1998, a Macau company purchased for $20 million, namely for entertainment facilities, and actually intended to return to domestic transformation. The vessel departed from the Nikolayev shipyard, relied on Dutch trailers and sailed hundreds of kilometers to the Strait of the Bosphorus. The Turkish authorities seized the security by intercepting, demanding $1 billion in guarantees, no military declarations and third-party guarantees. The negotiations lasted from June 2000 to October 2001, lasting 16 months, leases
The Greek government stepped in to provide national credit guarantees and waive cash barriers. Alex Tugboats took over and 11 tugboats escorted through the channel. A Greek sailor was missing during repairs after a storm broke three cables and the hull narrowly missed the shore. In March 2002, Varyag arrived at Dalian Port. After ten years of transformation, it was officially commissioned as the Liaoning ship on September 25, 2012. This is China's first aircraft carrier, marking the navy's transformation from offshore defense to ocean escort. Greece's aid does not ask for anything in return, but it lays a solid foundation for both countries.
This friendship continues into the current shipping field. On March 31, 2025, at the Geneva International Shipping Forum, Greek shipowner Evangelos Marinakis bluntly stated that if the United States imposes port surcharges on ships built in China, its 140 ships will withdraw from U.S. routes. Among these ships, more than 50 are focused on the east coast of the United States, carrying U.S. soybeans and corn to Europe and carrying China chip rubber on the return journey. Withdrawal will lead to the stagnation of U.S. agricultural products in Hong Kong, disruption of supply chains, and rising prices. Marinakis's statement was in response to an earlier plan by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which originated from the 301 investigation and was aimed at limiting China's dominance in shipbuilding. The Greek fleet has huge global influence, and this move points to the United States.
The United States, despite the opposition, is moving forward as planned. On October 14, 2025, the US side will start an additional fee on Chinese ship ports, starting at $50 per net tonne, covering ships owned, operated or built by China, aimed at protecting the domestic shipbuilding industry. China, as the world's largest trading country, has dozens of merchant ships on American routes on average, this fee will increase the cost of household appliances and electronic products. The Ministry of Transportation has announced a special port fee for US-related ships, starting at $400 per net tonne, and rising to $560 in 2027, $800 in 2027, and $1120 in 2028.
This round highlighted the strategic position of shipping in China-U.S. trade. China's shipbuilding production accounts for more than half of the world, and the United States relies on China's shipping crucial goods. Intercity costs short-term disruption of supply chains, boosting shipping prices, tanker distributors or re-deploying fleets. In the long run, China's counter-terrorism terms are cleverly designed, exempting domestic shipbuilding and attracting global shipowners to turn to the Chinese market. The statement of the Greek captain further amplifies the impact, and the European shipping industry collectively voices against unilateralism. Marininakis's capital maritime company manages 140 ships, totaling more than tens of millions of tons, focusing on dry shipping and container
The cooperation between the two countries is not only aid but also extended to the real economy. During the 2008 financial crisis, the port of Piraeus in Greece was on the verge of bankruptcy, with annual turnover of only 880,000 markboxes and worker wages in default. The Middle Sea Shipping Group invested 200 million euros, gained 35-year operating rights to Terminal 2, Terminal 3, injected funding technology, upgraded equipment and expanded landing. In 2016, the port’s turnover jumped to 5 million markboxes in 2023, placed at the top of the Mediterranean, with more than 20,000 new jobs added, driving the recovery of the surrounding logistics manufacturing industry. Greek olive oil wines were sold to China through China’s European ferries, and exports increased by 30 percent in 2024.
The transition is not only an economic win-win, but also a stronger Chinese-Hellenic partnership under the Belt and Road framework. Greece, as a portal to the European Union, upgrades ports to improve European-Asian connectivity, reducing routes by 10%, reducing carbon emissions. The introduction of automated bridge hanging and intelligent management systems, the annual processing capacity of more than 1 million box. The Greek government sees this as a successful example, in 2021, Prime Minister Mitsotakis publicly affirmed the benefits of investing in the two countries. Despite external questioning China's influence, the fact of cooperation proved transparent and mutually beneficial, pushing Greece out of the debt dungeon, the GDP contribution rate was 0.5%.
At the end of the 1990s, the Chinese Navy sought to develop large surface vessels, focusing on the Soviet heritage. Ukraine sold a decommissioned aircraft carrier, named Varian, building progressed at just 68%, no engine, no radar, only a shell left. In 1998, a Macau company purchased for $20 million, namely for entertainment facilities, and actually intended to return to domestic transformation. The vessel departed from the Nikolayev shipyard, relied on Dutch trailers and sailed hundreds of kilometers to the Strait of the Bosphorus. The Turkish authorities seized the security by intercepting, demanding $1 billion in guarantees, no military declarations and third-party guarantees. The negotiations lasted from June 2000 to October 2001, lasting 16 months, leases
The Greek government stepped in to provide national credit guarantees and waive cash barriers. Alex Tugboats took over and 11 tugboats escorted through the channel. A Greek sailor was missing during repairs after a storm broke three cables and the hull narrowly missed the shore. In March 2002, Varyag arrived at Dalian Port. After ten years of transformation, it was officially commissioned as the Liaoning ship on September 25, 2012. This is China's first aircraft carrier, marking the navy's transformation from offshore defense to ocean escort. Greece's aid does not ask for anything in return, but it lays a solid foundation for both countries.
This friendship continues into the current shipping field. On March 31, 2025, at the Geneva International Shipping Forum, Greek shipowner Evangelos Marinakis bluntly stated that if the United States imposes port surcharges on ships built in China, its 140 ships will withdraw from U.S. routes. Among these ships, more than 50 are focused on the east coast of the United States, carrying U.S. soybeans and corn to Europe and carrying China chip rubber on the return journey. Withdrawal will lead to the stagnation of U.S. agricultural products in Hong Kong, disruption of supply chains, and rising prices. Marinakis's statement was in response to an earlier plan by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which originated from the 301 investigation and was aimed at limiting China's dominance in shipbuilding. The Greek fleet has huge global influence, and this move points to the United States.
The United States, despite the opposition, is moving forward as planned. On October 14, 2025, the US side will start an additional fee on Chinese ship ports, starting at $50 per net tonne, covering ships owned, operated or built by China, aimed at protecting the domestic shipbuilding industry. China, as the world's largest trading country, has dozens of merchant ships on American routes on average, this fee will increase the cost of household appliances and electronic products. The Ministry of Transportation has announced a special port fee for US-related ships, starting at $400 per net tonne, and rising to $560 in 2027, $800 in 2027, and $1120 in 2028.
This round highlighted the strategic position of shipping in China-U.S. trade. China's shipbuilding production accounts for more than half of the world, and the United States relies on China's shipping crucial goods. Intercity costs short-term disruption of supply chains, boosting shipping prices, tanker distributors or re-deploying fleets. In the long run, China's counter-terrorism terms are cleverly designed, exempting domestic shipbuilding and attracting global shipowners to turn to the Chinese market. The statement of the Greek captain further amplifies the impact, and the European shipping industry collectively voices against unilateralism. Marininakis's capital maritime company manages 140 ships, totaling more than tens of millions of tons, focusing on dry shipping and container
The cooperation between the two countries is not only aid but also extended to the real economy. During the 2008 financial crisis, the port of Piraeus in Greece was on the verge of bankruptcy, with annual turnover of only 880,000 markboxes and worker wages in default. The Middle Sea Shipping Group invested 200 million euros, gained 35-year operating rights to Terminal 2, Terminal 3, injected funding technology, upgraded equipment and expanded landing. In 2016, the port’s turnover jumped to 5 million markboxes in 2023, placed at the top of the Mediterranean, with more than 20,000 new jobs added, driving the recovery of the surrounding logistics manufacturing industry. Greek olive oil wines were sold to China through China’s European ferries, and exports increased by 30 percent in 2024.
The transition is not only an economic win-win, but also a stronger Chinese-Hellenic partnership under the Belt and Road framework. Greece, as a portal to the European Union, upgrades ports to improve European-Asian connectivity, reducing routes by 10%, reducing carbon emissions. The introduction of automated bridge hanging and intelligent management systems, the annual processing capacity of more than 1 million box. The Greek government sees this as a successful example, in 2021, Prime Minister Mitsotakis publicly affirmed the benefits of investing in the two countries. Despite external questioning China's influence, the fact of cooperation proved transparent and mutually beneficial, pushing Greece out of the debt dungeon, the GDP contribution rate was 0.5%.