Posidonia is one of those events where it helps to know someone, but this can be tricky as the week becomes bigger than ever and as more and more newcomers join the shipping industry.
But a beach party held on Monday aimed to change that and provide an informal place for people to meet friends old and new as Posidonia got underway to make the rest of the week seem a little less overwhelming.
The Queens of Posidonia party, as it was titled, was primarily aimed at women and industry newbies — people who might find the sprawling shipping week intimidating or difficult to navigate — but was open to all.
Over 150 guests joined the fun at Zen Beach Bar in Vouliagmeni and were invited to appoint themselves a queen or king of Posidonia with a themed name badge.
The party was the brainchild of co-hosts Holly Birkett, a reporter at TradeWinds, and Zoe Upson, founder of recruitment firm Freight & Commodity Talent and of networking initiative Women Together.
Both saw the need to create a relaxed space where guests could feel free to be themselves and make new friends for the rest of the week. The collaboration followed.
“This event was really about us putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to creating a more inclusive industry,” Birkett said.
“Inclusion is an everyday attitude — something you have to live and do, whether you’re an individual or a company. It can be something as simple as bringing people into conversations if you see they’re alone.
“With this party, we wanted to create a space where people felt safe to be themselves and could present themselves in the best way to form lasting relationships.”
The event was supplemented with a WhatsApp group in which Posidonia veterans dispensed advice to newcomers in the days and weeks before the big week.
The group also helped attendees reconnect at other Posidonia events, keeping the camaraderie going all week long.
