Today, one out of six tons of cargo carried by sea anywhere in the world is carried on Greek-owned ships. Our shipyards are busy building and repairing ships of all sizes from all nations. In recent years, the aquaculture industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the Greek economy, currently expanding to the Middle East and to the North American continent. Greece is an open economy. Its main exports are fresh and processed food, raw cotton and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, semi-processed mineral and metal products, cement and refined oil products.
Manufacturing accounts for approximately half of the value of merchandise exports.
Greece imports a large proportion of its energy, some food, virtually all its transport equipment and much of its machinery and electrical goods. In the service sector, tourism and transport services represent the most important share. Historically, tourism receipts offset the largest part of the trade deficit. The European Union countries are Greece's main trading partners. Greece is a member of the European Union since 1981.