Greek shipowners say EU tax pressure could make Brexit Britain attractive

Greek shipowners could relocate to Britain after it leaves the European Union if European regulators demand changes to favorable shipping taxes in Greece, a top industry official said on Friday.

The European Union has been pressing Greece to end generous tax allowances it grants shipowners, although the government has steered away from imposing heavy taxes on an industry that operates some of the world's biggest vessels.

"If the European Union threatens us ... obviously we will look at alternative options," Theodore Veniamis, president of the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS), said.

He suggested that the shipowners could consider relocating, possibly to Britain after its exit from the bloc in March 2019.

"Brexit, for us, is not a bad thing," he said, speaking at Greece's Posidonia shipping week in Athens. "If Brexit happens ... we, shipping, have a...