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awards
Supported by Japan classification society Class NK as lead sponsor, the glittering awards show was opened by Minister of Maritime Affairs, Islands & Fisheries, Yiannis Diamantidis.
EMBIRICOS, CALLIMANOPULOS and MARINAKIS take personality prizes at Greek Shipping Awards 100 trophies presented since Awards’ inauguration in 2004 ABOUT 1,000 guests attended the 7th annual Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards on Friday, December 10 at the Athenaeum InterContinental Hotel, in an event that underlined the current high status of the Greek shipping industry. Supported by Japan classification society Class NK as lead sponsor, the glittering awards show was opened by Minister of Maritime Affairs, Islands & Fisheries, Yiannis Diamantidis. In his speech, Mr Diamantidis said Greek shipping was a global power and a strength for Greece. The government pledged to help the industry grow stronger still, the minister said. As in previous years, the Awards are adjudicated by an independent panel of prominent personalities in Greek shipping and cover 15 categories. Launched in 2004, the Greek Shipping Awards are organized and hosted by Lloyd’s List, the shipping news service since 1734. The awards are held annually to recognize and reward achievement and meritorious activity in the Greek shipping industry as well as to promote Greece’s status as a maritime centre. This year singing star Fotini Darra joined Lloyd’s List correspondent Nigel Lowry to co-host the Greek Shipping Awards gala dinner. Ms Darra also lit up the grand ballroom of the InterContinental hotel with a series of songs, including ‘In The Aegean’s Waters’, ‘Beyond The Sea’ and ‘Fata Morgana’. Prestigious sponsors included Marfin Popular Bank, which sponsored a Welcome Cocktail Reception for guests, and New York Stock Exchange-listed Excel Maritime Carriers which sponsored the evening’s traditional
Peter Livanos-led GasLog Ltd was named Tanker Company of the Year for its well-judged emergence as a leading presence in the liquefied natural gas carrier sector. The group currently has a fleet of 14 LNG carriers under management and this year took delivery of GasLog’s first two fully-owned vessels. Louis Cruises was awarded this year’s Passenger Line of the Year Award for its steady commitment to Greek
Champagne Toast. Excel Chairman Villy Panayotides
cruising and its support for the Greek flag. It was the
proposed the toast to the health of Greek shipping.
first time in the award’s history that a cruise line took the award, which has previously always been won by
THE WINNERS
ferry owners. Marine Plus sponsored the category. Cass Technava Maritime, a joint venture between
Epaminondas Embiricos, who recently stood down
Technava and Cass Maritime, South Korea’s biggest
from leadership of the London based Greek Shipping
brokering company, was named Shipbroker of the Year
Co-operation Committee after more than a decade as
after contracting more than 50 newbuilds for Greek
chairman, was named Greek Shipping Personality of
owners with yards in China, Korea and Japan during
the Year, sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland.
2010. A former winner of the shipbroker award, Takis
US based shipowner Gregory Callimanopulos – a
Christofides of Carriers Chartering, presented this
pioneer in containers and offshore vessels as well as a
year’s trophy to Cass Technava director Fedon Tomazos.
tanker owner, received the Lloyd’s List / Propeller Club
The title of Ship Financier of the Year went to XRTC
Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Alpha
Business Consultants for its major role in the first
Bank.
bilateral loan deal between a Chinese bank and a
The Newsmaker of the Year Award went to Evangelos
Greek owner. XRTC, which received the trophy from
Marinakis after a busy year which included listing in
Akis Tsirigakis, chief executive of sponsor Star Bulk, has
New York of a newly established tanker company,
a relationship with China Development Bank which
Crude Carriers. XRTC Business Consultants sponsored
has also been given the initial mandate for a new $5bn
the award, the only category adjudicated directly by
fund to finance Greek orders in China.
Lloyd’s List.
Professor Dracos Vassalos, director of the which has
Cosco Group chairman Wei Jaifu was elected Interna-
become a leading European institution in terms of
tional Personality of the Year for, among other things,
involvement in research related to ship emissions, took
Cosco’s investment in the Piraeus container terminal
the Award for Achievement in Safety or Environmental
and a wide span of cooperation with Greek owners
Protection, which was sponsored by the American
in chartering, shipbuilding and repair. The President
Club.
of Cosco Europe Fu Haichao accepted the trophy on
.Sponsored by T. J. Giavridis Marine Services, the
Capt. Wei’s behalf from Gerasimos Ventouris of Capital
Piraeus International Centre Award was won by WISTA
Shipmanagement.
Hellas, recognizing the efforts of the women’s trade
Chief executive Polys Hajioannou accepted the Dry
association to contribute to Greece’s profile as a ship-
Cargo Company of the Year Award for 2010 on behalf
ping hub.
of New York Stock Exchange-listed Safe Bulkers, which
Traditionally one of the most warmly received of all
has grown its fleet this year with several dry bulk car-
the Greek Shipping Awards, the trophy for Seafarer of
rier acquisitions. The award was presented by sponsor
the Year 2010, once again sponsored by the Tsavliris
Hellenic Exchanges.
Salvage Group, was won by Captain Dimitrios Nezos.