Greek Shipping Hall of Fame 2021

GREEK SHIPPING HALL OF FAME ATHENS 2021

INDUCTION CEREMONY

LEAD SPONSORS

‘Sailing at dusk’ by Emilios Prosalentis (1859-1926)

- from the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Collection.

SPONSORS

LEAD SPONSORS

PREMIUM SPONSORS

SPONSORS

CHARITY PARTNER SUPPORTED BY

The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame was launched in 2007 to recognise the Greek shipping industry’s greatest and most deserving personalities, as well as to tell the story of an industry that could hardly be more historic.

Last year marked 2,500 years since the pivotal Battle of Salamis that the Greek fleet won in defence of Athenian democracy. Our 2020 Induction Ceremony was a virtual one, that remains free to view online. It was hosted from the deck of the Hellas Liberty, so symbolic of the rebuilding of Greek shipping after the Second World War.

This year naturally we have turned our thoughts to another chapter of history when seagoing Greeks were instrumental in keeping the flame of freedom alight. So while we are here to pay tribute to some of the outstanding personalities in the annals of modern Greek shipping, this evening also celebrates 200 years of Greek independence, counted from the 1821 uprising against the Ottoman empire.

Winning the sea war in the Aegean was vital to the successful outcome of the liberation struggle. From 1821 to 1826 it was exclusively funded and fought by shipowners and seafarers hailing from islands such as Hydra, Spetses, Psara and Kassos.

The outgunned, numerically disadvantaged Greek fleet of merchant ships used guerrilla tactics, including fireships. It has been claimed that of 59 fireship attacks launched during the war, more than 60% were successful.

Inevitably, fire plays a big role in memorials to the revolution that take place around the Aegean and it is a painful coincidence that this bicentenary year has been tragically marred by unprecedented fires around Greece. The shipping community has been among those to respond with emergency aid for the fire-stricken as well as support for the national fire services.

Among many parallels that can be drawn between the maritime feats and personalities of that era and the subsequent development of Greek shipping, the liberation struggle highlighted its resilience and adaptability as well as a willingness among individuals, often, to cooperate in a patriotic cause.

Celebrations, especially those observing historic milestones, are important even when they fall at difficult times. Thank you to everyone who has supported the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame and in particular this year’s event. Even more than usual your help has been vital in enabling us to organise the 2021 Induction event and to again support the work of Hellenic Hope.

CELEBRATING 200 YEARS OF FREEDOM

Maritime defences were critical in defending the democracy of ancient Greece and the leaning of the Greeks towards the sea was again important 200 years ago in the struggle to throw off Ottoman rule that led to the creation of modern, independent Greece.

Those who participated in the sea-war against the Sultan were well aware that their actions could stand comparison with those of their glorious forebears.

Alexander Ypsilandis, who led the ‘Filiki Etairia’ and commanded an early, ill-fated uprising, had written to island captains to “prepare your wooden walls to save your country like the Spartans and Athenians of old.” No less than 11 ships in the revolutionary fleet were named ‘Themistocles’.

Greeks had continued to be highly active at sea during four long centuries of Ottoman rule. Their shipping and trading activities were concentrated mainly on Constantinople, the Aegean and the Adriatic Sea but a Greek presence gradually spread throughout the Mediterranean.

Greek seafarers manned not only Greekowned ships - under a variety of different flags - but also Ottoman and Venetian vessels, as well as crewing ships belonging to a variety of other nationalities.

The Burning of the Turkish Flagship by Kanaris (detail), painting by Nikiforos Lytras, 1870.

As the war of independence approached, Greek maritime know-how was closely integrated with the Ottoman empire’s trading and military needs. Greek merchants were prominent in import-export business, as well as internal Ottoman trade, while the use of Greek-owned ships was increasingly steadily.

Initially the fleet developed with small vessels constructed by self-taught shipwrights but local yards moved on to emulate the ships of western Europe. However, the Ottomans forbade very large ships.

While generally they appeared relaxed about the expanding Greek maritime presence, the bar on building larger ships showed they were not oblivious to the potential for converting the fleet into a fighting force.

In the last dozen years of the 18th century, Hydra and later other islands began building fast, manoeverable brigs with tall masts instead of three-masted merchant vessels.

Brigs, with an average displacement of about 250 tons, were the main type of ship that participated in the independence struggle, although larger vessels, as well as schooners and brigantines, also took part.

While the islanders’ fleet performed admirably in its primary purpose of shipping cargoes, it

would also prove – in the hands of capable Greek crews – to be more than a match for seemingly superior forces in time of war.

The turbulent times had already hardened many merchant captains and their crews to risks additional to the capricious weather often confronted in the Aegean.

CELEBRATING 200 YEARS OF FREEDOM

Konstantinos Volonakis’ painting The Exodus of the Ares, 1894, National Gallery, Athens, depicting the the 350-ton brig ‘Ares’ fighting its way out of Navarino Bay in 1825.

Gradually ships were armed by necessity to defend themselves against Barbary corsairs and others. The Napoleonic Wars from 1799 to 1815 provided opportunities for Greek shipowners and their crews to make fortunes from defying the British blockades on French ports, particularly Marseilles. However, peace ruined this line of work and when the revolution broke out a few years later there was little lucrative business to potentially distract from the call of patriotism.

Arming of ships in the preceding years, and the tough experience of their crews, narrowed the difference between Greek merchant vessels and genuine warships.

Hydra, Spetses and Psara were the main shipbuilding centres of the Aegean and prior to the revolution, each of the islands had cranked up annual capacity to construction of more than 30 vessels of more than 200 tons.

In 1821, the fleet mustered by the various islands, consisting of about 40 lightly armed merchant vessels, lined up against a much larger Ottoman fleet including numerous ships of the line each capable of bringing to bear about 80 guns. In addition to these were a number of well-armed Turkish frigates and corvettes. One British historian likened the disparity to “an assembly of lightly armed coastal cutters” confronting Nelson’s Trafalgar fleet.

The seeming mismatch of forces persisted throughout the long sea war although new vessels were added. Among the largest was Laskarina Bouboulina’s 400-ton Spetses-built Agamemnon, armed with 18 heavy cannon.

Yet the Greeks had superior seamanship in their favour. That advantage was accentuated as the Ottoman navy had relied heavily on conscripted Christian subjects, foremost among them Greeks, as crew. When the revolution was declared, Greek seafarers deserted or were arrested and executed, further crippling the enemy fleet.

Under the nominal command of Hydriot Andreas Vokos Miaoulis, the fleet mainly used guerilla tactics appropriate to engage a stronger opponent and terrorised Turkish commanders and crews with fireships.

For five years the Greek fleet fought exclusively with privately-owned merchant ships. It was only in 1826 that the fleet was augmented with the first state-owned vessels. These were the American-built frigate Hellas and the paddle-steamer Karteria built in England, which were financed from the British loans advanced to aid the Greek cause in 1824 and 1825 although these were largely squandered. The Karteria, though defective, was the first steam-powered warship used in combat anywhere and proved a scourge of the Ottoman fleet.

By the end of the war it was calculated that out of about 600 vessels used during the campaign, just 50 remained in sound condition. It would not be the last time in Greece’s modern history that the merchant fleet would sustain such casualties and have to rebuild.

CO-LEAD SPONSOR - ABS

ABS, a leading international classification society, is guided by its mission to promote security of life, property, and the natural environment.

The Greek-owned fleet today stands at an all-time record and this historic achievement is built on the shoulders of giants. Today we pause for a moment to recognize and celebrate their achievements, which form the bedrock of today’s globe-spanning success.

ABS is proud to have worked closely with many of these inspirational figures and continues to do so today with their successors at the helm of the Hellenic shipping industry. Honouring their accomplishments in the Hall of Fame not only celebrates the continued success of Greek shipping but inspires us to strive to equal their ambition and continue to build a bright future together.

Christopher J. Wiernicki Chairman, President and CEO ABS

ABS has a long and proud association with the Greek ship owning community and continues to support its current fleet and future fleet development. As the Greek fleet has expanded and diversified, ABS has continued to expand and develop its services to Greek shipowners.

In 2017, ABS established its Global Ship Systems Center in Athens, a state-of-theart facility that provides holistic systems engineering for enhanced technical applications and industry rules advancement. ABS has also recently opened a Global Sustainability Center of Excellence in Athens focused on vessel performance and efficiency.

Greek shipping operations are supported through the local Athens office, as well as a global network of surveyors, engineers, researchers, and regulatory specialists who work in more than 200 offices in 70 countries around the world.

CO-LEAD SPONSOR - IRI / THE MARSHALL ISLANDS REGISTRY

International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI) provide administrative and technical support to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime and Corporate Registries. The RMI Registry is one of the leading registries in the world surpassing 179 million gross tons with 4,870 vessels at the end of April 2021.

We are thrilled to continue our support for the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame to celebrate and honour those who have led the way in Greek shipping.

As the post COVID world starts to come into focus, we look with renewed interest to environmental, social, and governance best practices to enhance the future of shipping, protect our fragile marine environment, and support care of our communities.

Recognized as the world’s youngest and greenest fleet, the Marshall Islands Registry is proud to remain the foreign flag of choice for Greek owners, who for millennia have led the way.

Theo Xenakoudis Director, Worldwide Business Operations Managing Director – Piraeus, Greece International Registries, Inc.

IRI has a network of 27 worldwide offices located in major shipping and financial centres throughout the world that have the ability to register a vessel or yacht, including those under construction, record a mortgage or financing charter, incorporate a company, issue seafarer documentation, and service clientele.

The most important asset to the RMI Registry is its customers, and IRI strives to provide them with full service from any office, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

CO-LEAD SPONSOR – SWS

Founded in 1999, Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. (SWS) is a subsidiary of CSSC Holding Ltd., a publicly listed company controlled by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Ltd. (CSSC). SWS is among the largest, most modern, and professional shipbuilders in the world.

The Greek market is of the greatest importance to SWS. Our mission is to provide our Hellenic clients with the most reliable products and service.

In spite of the pandemic, in 2020 SWS succeeded in delivering 21 capesize bulk carriers, 1 VLOC and 4 offshore projects.  Also, we began to construct the first large built-in-China cruise ship on schedule.

We are committed to remain in the forefront of green shipping and to developing smart solutions with our international partners.    These include our world-class dual fuel designs for bulk carriers and oil tankers.

Times may change but the ocean will always connect us, and our shared achievements.

Wang Qi Chairman Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co. Ltd

SWS’s main business covers design, construction of marine vessels and offshore products. SWS builds bulk carriers, oil tankers, container vessels and gas carriers. The company has delivered 16% of the world fleet of capesize bulk carriers and 9% of all VLCCs. SWS also has expertise as a builder of ultra large container vessels above 20,000 TEU.

SWS production line also includes FPSO, deepwater semi-submersible drilling rigs, jack-ups, and PSVs. The first large cruise ship in China is designed and constructed by SWS.

SWS continues to rank among the top global shipbuilding companies for the completion of new ships, new orders, and order book.

WELCOME DRINKS SPONSOR – TMS

in order to achieve the stated objectives by the IMO to reduce carbon emissions by 2030 and beyond.

More than a year has now passed since the global pandemic has emerged due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak and we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. As vaccinations progress on a global basis and economic activity start to return to normal, we face the future with optimism. During this time, shipping has staged a remarkable recovery in almost all sectors (with the exception of tankers) and with strong projected fundamentals it is possible that we may be entering a period of sustainable good markets for the next few years.

With opportunity comes challenge and shipping is now faced with upcoming environmental regulations, such as the Energy Efficiency Design Index for Existing Ships (EEXI), that aim to significantly improve the overall environmental footprint of the industry. While this is not something new, it is a time when shipowners need to embrace change and think longer term

Against this backdrop once again we face uncertainty which is hard to predict how it will play out. Perhaps we can take inspiration from the Chinese year of the Ox and make sure we work hard and patiently on the elements we can control and as the case has been in the past, the shipping industry will evolve itself as needed to survive and prosper.

George Economou TMS

TMS activities range from ship owning, ship management and trading in almost all shipping and offshore segments ranging from drybulk carriers, oil and chemical tankers, container ships, LNG carriers, LPG carriers, PSV’s, OSRV’s and deep-water drilling rigs.

The ship management activities provide employment for more than 600 people onshore in Greece and abroad and more than 5,500 seafarers.

We take great pride in the expertise we have developed over the years applying the highest technical and maintenance standards applicable.

DINNER SPONSOR – NAVIOS GROUP

We should all be proud of the role we played in keeping the world functioning during this challenging time.

Angeliki Frangou Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Navios Group of Companies

We live in an increasingly interconnected world. While the internet may promote trade, the shipping industry allows it. We are the backbone transportation system that connects countries relying on each other for essential supplies, such as pharmaceuticals, food, and clothes.

The pandemic severely challenged the global logistics chain. Fear and uncertainly paralyzed governments and societies. Bending under the burden, but never breaking, we responded to this unprecedented challenge by operating uninterruptedly. Through grim news and country lockdowns, we kept our seafarers safe and continued to transport essential goods needed for survival.

The pandemic affected all of us in different ways. But it reminded the shipping community of our essential and important role in serving society.

Navios Group is a group of public and owned companies which operate in the dry bulk, tanker, container, and logistics industries.

The Navios Group is one of the largest US-listed shipping entities with three companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange (Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (NYSE: NM), Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (NYSE: NMM), Navios Maritime Acquisition Corporation (NYSE: NNA)).

In addition, Navios South American Logistics is also part of the Navios Group.

For over 60 years, Navios has developed scale and expertise through managing a fleet of approximately 190 vessels. Since 2005, the Navios Group has seen fleet capacity grow by almost 1,000%.

GEORGE P. LEMOS

Music has played an important role in many of the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame’s annual events, but none more so than in its Virtual Induction Ceremony in 2020.  The event can still be enjoyed on our website or through YouTube.

A huge part of the event’s online success can be attributed to the music which was almost exclusively drawn from works by George P. Lemos.

With typical generosity, George allowed the event to draw freely from his songs that provided a perfect source of music for an event concerned with Greek shipping history.

George P. Lemos has the rare distinction of combining a successful shipping career with earning recognition for creating an increasingly impressive body of music.

Born into one of the country’s leading shipping families, he attended the nautical high-school in Oinousses island and graduated from the Aspropyrgos Merchant Marine Academy in 1972.  He served at sea as third officer and chief officer on a number of dry cargo vessels.

Ashore he served his apprenticeship in his father Leon Lemos’ company, Efploia Shipping, before branching out on his own with Geomar Shipping in 1984 and later Blossom Maritime.

MUSIC AND THE SEA...

George has not lost interest in shipping but says that, having reached retirement age, the reins have passed to his son Pantelis G. Lemos, who in time-honoured style has launched his own company, Sea Tribute Shipmanagement.

Stepping back has given him more time to pursue a passion for music that found its first expression at the age of five when he began learning the accordion.

Growing up in a traditional maritime family was more of a barrier than a help to furthering his musical interest, George says, because of expectations that he should follow the family tradition.

The satisfaction he has always drawn from the two loves that have shaped his life “in reality are very similar,” George comments.

There are songs in his back-catalogue that have clearly been inspired by the sea, notably ‘Sailing’ from the 2015 album ‘Travelling Dreams’, and the 2019 instrumental ‘Oinoussian Song’.

A key moment was hearing ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ for the first time at sea while on board a freighter.  The song impressed for its message of carving out one’s own life in spite of pressures to conform, but also as an

introduction to Elton John’s piano-playing, a sound that helped inspire him to take up the piano. His love of American and British popular music was compounded by a spell living in London between 1974 and 1981.

A rich musical career has seen him collaborate with a number of other groups and artists and, during the 1980s, pen a number of candidate songs for Greece’s Eurovision Song Contest entry, coming as high as third place.

In recent years, George has performed in support of charities and is currently experimenting with writing classical pieces that he plans to record in Prague with a symphony orchestra, if the Covid pandemic permits.

However, instead of describing himself as a composer, he likes to describe himself as “a musical tailor” - a tailor who sews together emotions and sentiments to create a musical dress from the materials of life.

PREMIUM SPONSOR – THE BALTIC EXCHANGE

The Baltic Exchange represents a global community of shipping interests. These include shipowners, charterers and shipbrokers who are collectively responsible for handling a large proportion of the world’s dry cargo and tanker fixtures, freight derivative trades as well as the sale and purchase of merchant vessels.

The Baltic Exchange is a proud supporter of the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame.

The histories of the great names of Greek shipping and the Baltic Exchange have been closely intertwined since the first arrival of Greek shipowners in London in the 19th century and the phenomenal post-WW2 growth of the fleet.

Our interdependence and ties have continued to this day as we collectively serve global trade.

The leadership and innovation of every member of the Hall of Fame played a part in the creation of the modern shipping industry. We salute Greek shipping excellence in Athens and around the world.

Mark Jackson Chief Executive Officer The Baltic Exchange

The Baltic Exchange is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is the trusted provider of data for the settlement of physical and derivative freight contracts, underpinning risk management tools for the shipping and transportation markets.

Founded in 1744, the Baltic Exchange is headquartered in London with regional offices in Singapore, Shanghai, Athens, Stamford, and Houston.

In 2016 the Baltic Exchange was acquired by Singapore Exchange (“SGX”).

EXPERTISE FOR SUSTAINABILITY

BUREAU

A SUITE OF GREEN SERVICES

Bureau Veritas supports you in meeting the safety, technical and regulatory challenges of low carbon or zero carbon fuels, and alternative propulsion. We help clients achieve emissions compliance, meeting EEDI, EEXI and CII requirements. Our other green services support owners to prepare for an evolving regulatory landscape, such as the reduction of underwater and airborne noise.

PREMIUM SPONSOR - BUREAU VERITAS

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection, and certification services. Created in 1828, the Group has 75,000 employees located in more than 1,600 offices and laboratories around the globe.

Hellenic shipping is known all over the world for its vitality, its technical and commercial expertise, and its acumen. The know-how, dedication, leadership, and ambition of the industry are worthy of celebration.

Ships and shipping are important and Greek shipowners are so often at the very forefront of achievement in our vital industry, a fact that today is as true as ever. Bureau Veritas, therefore, has great pleasure in supporting, once again, the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame, an organisation that honours some of the most significant protagonists of Greek shipping who have led by example at national and global level.

Paillette Palaiologou Vice President, Marine & Offshore Division Hellenic, Black Sea & Adriatic Zone Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas helps its clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure, and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection, and social responsibility.

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore is a worldleading classification society with more than 190 years of expertise. We provide support and in-depth knowledge to protect people, ships, and offshore structures, going beyond the scope of individual projects to find new ways to anticipate and manage risk across the industry, promoting safety and health, and protecting the marine environment. We work with the industry to support innovation via new rules and tools.

PREMIUM SPONSOR - CITI PRIVATE BANK

Citi Private Bank is dedicated to serving worldly and wealthy individuals and families, providing customized private banking across borders.

With around $550 billion in total client business, the franchise serves clients across 50 cities in over 100 countries.

We are delighted to sponsor this unique event once again and particularly so during these testing times for the global economy.

Citi has been in Greece for 56 years. We remain strongly committed to the country and its industries and to creatively serving our clients. The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame continues to be a powerful recognition of the Greek shipping industry’s remarkable role for the country and globally. We are honoured to be its partner. Citi’s relationship with Greek shipping dates back to 1948 when Citi financed Greece’s first super tankers and has flourished since. This is a legacy we are very proud of and one we intend to further develop against an economic background still marked by uncertainty, profound regulatory change and disruptive innovation.

Dimitri Andreadakis Managing Director, Country Head – Greece Citi Private Bank

Citi Private Bank helps clients grow and preserve wealth, finance assets, make cash work harder, safeguard assets, preserve legacies, and serve family and family business needs.

The firm offers clients products and services covering capital markets, managed investments, portfolio management, trust and estate planning, investment finance, banking and aircraft finance, art advisory and finance, and sports finance.

PREMIUM SPONSOR – DECISIVE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Decisive Capital Management is an independent next-generation advisor.

We work with our ultra high net worth individuals, their families, entrepreneurs, and corporates to protect and grow their wealth. Mutual trust is vital; we always co-invest alongside our clients.

Decisive Capital Management is honored to sponsor the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame’s 2021 Induction Ceremony & Dinner and to be part of this distinguished audience.

We believe in the power of entrepreneurs shaping our future, and we work with many of these talented business owners every day, helping to future-proof their lives.

Relentlessness and courage are core ingredients for success. We look forward to celebrating many accomplishments tonight and wish you all an enriching evening.

Elie Chamat Senior Partner Decisive Capital Management

As a smart capital venue, we are one of the fastest growing financial platforms in Switzerland with offices in Geneva, Zurich, and London.

We do not believe in luck; we believe in hard work and the “extra-mile” due diligence. Decisive has built a rich and diverse portfolio of businesses focused on technologies that are disrupting our economy and everyday lives.

In 2021, Decisive won Wealthbriefing Swiss EAM ‘Direct Investment Program’ category.

Established in Geneva in 2016, Decisive has more than 80 professionals with a global network, with over $6 billion of assets under supervision on behalf of our clients.

PREMIUM SPONSOR - MOORE GREECE

Moore Greece, an independent member of Moore Global, is an accounting and consulting firm specialising in the shipping, media, and hotel sectors.

Our wide range of services covers audit and assurance, tax, governance - risk and compliance, IT consulting, transactions and accounting outsourcing for the family-owned businesses and entrepreneurs we serve.

Moore Greece is delighted to support this year’s Induction Ceremony which celebrates the lifetime achievements of Greece’s shipping legends. We firmly believe that the values embodied by these legends are as relevant now as they were in the past and should guide the new generation of ship owners in their effort to tackle the difficulties of today and challenges of tomorrow.

Working closely with Greek shipping for more than 100 years, we have witnessed first-hand its emergence as the world’s leading maritime power and having had personal experiences with most of the inductees and nominees, this event is very close to our hearts, and we wish it success!

Costas Constantinou Managing Partner, Moore Greece Global Maritime Leader, Moore Global

With over 120 professionals, deep knowledge, and award-winning proprietary tools, we help our clients improve efficiency and maximise profitability.

As the first international accounting firm in Greece with a presence of more than 55 years in the Greek market, we remain one of the leading firms in our business sector.

In particular, over the years, we have been trusted by some of the most important names in shipping to serve as an indispensable ally and a source of expertise and experience.

CHARITY PARTNER – HELLENIC HOPE

Two of the most topical are:

Mind the Heart of Dyslexia – A project delivered by 3Dlexia Cosmos

A big thank you to Greek shipping

Many at-risk children in Greece have been helped during our partnership with the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame and we continue to focus on projects which support children’s education, livelihoods, and their mental health.

Our values:

• Designing projects that maximise children’s welfare

• Conducting extensive due diligence before partnering with NGOs

• Promoting full transparency and accountability

• Monitoring project execution and fund disbursement regularly

• Regulated by the UK Charities Commission of England & Wales

• 100% of donations go to fund projects

– not a penny is spent on our expenses

The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame’s donation from its prestigious annual Induction Ceremony helps to sponsor Hellenic Hope projects.

Our support for the Schedia programme in Elefsina began in 2013 and, as such, it is one of our longest running collaborations. Hellenic Hope meets the costs of running this project for seven months each year.

Fifty non-English speaking dyslexic children have so far participated in the Mind the Heart of Dyslexia Project aimed at building English language skills, improving self-esteem, and teaching students to draw inspiration from famous people with dyslexia who have changed the world. Taking part in specially created artistic workshops, the children have created individual artworks for Greece’s first art exhibition which celebrates their abilities and achievements whilst destigmatizing dyslexia and raising public awareness that all children in Greece have the right to inclusive, quality education.

Continued on page 35...

The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame gratefully acknowledges Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd. for enhancing our support for Hellenic Hope

Green landscapes. Modern infrastructures. High quality services. Unforgettable experiences.

Ecali Club has been the ultimate destination for relaxation, fun, creativity and physical activity since 1971, where its Members create life bonds by sharing personal moments. Ecali Club is a state-of-the-art business hub that attracts executives from the most dynamic Greek and international companies.

A shining example for business networking, an epitome of attraction for entrepreneurs and executives involved in defining worlds business evolutions.

CHARITY PARTNER – HELLENIC HOPE

American Farm School in Thessaloniki

Despite the closure of the American Farm School during the pandemic, students continued their studies remotely and to great creative effect.

Hellenic Hope scholar Konstantinos Andriotis and a small team of fellow second-and-third year AFS lykeion students came up with the idea of creating fun on-line learning activities for their younger brothers and sisters to keep them occupied and enjoy during lockdown. And so Edu4kids was born!

First off, the Edu4kids team created some educational quizzes that were so popular with their younger siblings that they immediately expanded the range to all the subjects taught at elementary school level.

In its first month of operation Edu4kids attracted more than 2,000 hits and 800 subscriptions!

Expanding the team to nine members, Edu4kids moved forward to create a series of textbooks across the major elementary school subjects featuring review questions to further assist students with their on-line home schooling during the pandemic.

By offering these books for sale at cost price only, many more children gained access to this new, exciting learning experience.

During the second lockdown Edu4kids extended its range of games and quizzes and launched a foreign language section; creating a number of videos for English, German, or Spanish acquisition as a foreign language.

Konstantinos and the rest of the Edu4kids team have now graduated. They are rightly proud of their accomplishments and at Hellenic Hope we are thrilled that Kostantinos was a key part of it - made possible by the support of the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame.

From all of us at Hellenic Hope – a big thank you to the Greek shipping community.

The Hellenic Hope Trustees

STANDARD SPONSORS

China Classification Society (CCS) is a full member of IACS and is ranked among the top classification societies, highly recognised worldwide for advanced technology and quality services. CCS operates globally across 158 countries and through 120 offices providing classification, accreditation and certification services, scientific research, risk management and evaluation services to shipping, offshore, finance and insurance entities. www.ccs.org.cn

ClassNK, with roughly 260 million gross tons or some 20% of the world’s merchant fleet on its register, is one of the world’s largest classification societies in terms of gross tonnage under class. We are committed to providing the highest quality services and supporting our clients 24/7 through a global service network of around 130 offices. www.classnk.com

Franman provides wide-ranging services to shipping focusing on shipbuilding equipment, spare parts, ship repairs, service, consulting, security, and underwater cleaning services. Since 1991 our highly qualified and experienced team has provided the highest levels of diversified services to our clients. In 1998 Franman received ISO 9001:2015 certification. Today, we represent more than 130 leading companies and serve more than 700 shipping companies each year. www.franman.gr

The Isle of Man Ship Registry is one of the world’s leading flag states with around 900 registered ships and super yachts comprising 15m GT. A British Red Ensign member providing the very best in service to its valued clients, it is the flag of choice for owners looking for quality and partnership from a flag administration. www.iomshipregistry.com

Kyvernitis Travel Group, founded in 1974, is one of Greece’s leading integrated corporate and leisure travel service providers and a key player in the global travel industry. Passionate about what we do our core philosophy remains to put our clients first and to deliver the highest level of quality services to travelers. Crew travel, business travel, conferences, meetings, incentives, and luxury travel solutions are among the key services that we provide to clients. www.kyvernitis.com

Lloyd’s Register is a leading international provider of classification, compliance, and consultancy services to the marine and offshore industry. We help our clients design, construct, and operate their assets to the highest levels of safety and performance, using our expertise and over 260 years’ experience to deliver the smartest solutions for everyone. www.lr.org

Marichem Marigases Worldwide Services is a leading company in the international marine chemicals and gases industry, manufacturing and providing high quality marine chemicals, chemical equipment, gases, and refrigerants, cutting and welding machinery and equipment, fire-rescue, and safety services to the shipping industry. Our products are available at more than 2,100 ports, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. www.marichem-marigases.com

Marine Tours is the leading travel management company in Greece with top-of-the-line expertise in crew and shipping executives’ travel requirements. Four decades of experience, global reach of services, unmatched know-how in crew rotation management and the most highly specialised executives – available 24/7 – are just some of the reasons that make Marine Tours the No.1 choice in marine and offshore travel. www.marinetours.gr

UBS draws on its 150-year heritage to serve private, institutional, and corporate clients worldwide, as well as retail clients in Switzerland. Our strategy is centered on our leading global wealth management business and our premier universal bank in Switzerland, enhanced by asset management and the investment bank. We focus on capital efficient businesses with a strong competitive position and an attractive long-term structural growth or profitability outlook. www.ubs.com

HOW THE INDUCTEES ARE CHOSEN

Choosing the Inductees to the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame annually is through an entirely independent and broadly based induction process open to prominent individuals in the shipping industry.

The Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Academy, the voting body, is an honorary membership organisation intended for the most influential members of the Greek shipping community. It has been formed specifically for the purpose of electing Inductees annually to the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame.

Membership is by invitation only, although inquiries are welcomed. Currently the membership of the Academy consists of about 300 members. The largest contingent of these is shipowners. However, the membership also includes shipping company chief executives, prominent individuals from shipping service sectors such as finance, law, classification, shipbroking, shipmanagement, insurance and others, as well as reputed historians, academics and journalists.

As a general rule, membership is limited to one individual per company so as to maintain a level playing field for voting.

Nominees each year are showcased in a special members’ area of our website. From inception until today only historic individuals who are no longer alive have been eligible for induction.

The new Inductees are announced at the annual Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and are celebrated on the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame website.

Voting for the Inductees takes place on-line. The procedure is completely transparent and a full copy of the rules for the induction process is available to all Academy members in the members’ area of the site.

The voting procedure is overseen by the international audit firm,

THE INDUCTEES

Inductees 2007 – 2020 by Year of Induction

2007 Anthony J. Chandris

Manuel E. Kulukundis

George P. Livanos

Aristotle Onassis

2008 Leonidas A. Embiricos

Stavros G. Livanos

Panagis Vaglianos

2009 Anthony J. Angelicoussis

Eugene Eugenides

John S. Latsis

2010 John M. Carras

Costas M. Lemos

2011 Prof. Stratis G. Andreadis

Capt. Vassilis C. Constantakopoulos

Nico J. Cotzias OBE

2012 Basil P. Goulandris

Stavros S. Niarchos

Michael C. Peraticos

2013 Pericles G. Callimanopulos

Alexander G. Tsavliris

2014 John N. Goulandris

Alkimos G. Gratsos

2015 John C. Carras

Stavros Daifas

2016 George L. Daniolos

Nicolaos D. Lykiardopulo

2017 Aleco N. Goulandris

Basil M. Mavroleon

2018 George S. Coumantaros

John P. Goulandris

2019 Pericles S. Panagopulos

George R. Vergottis

2020 Stathis G. Gourdomichalis

George A. Pappadakis

STATHIS G. GOURDOMICHALIS (1923-2006)

Stathis G. Gourdomichalis headed the Union of Greek Shipowners during one of the most turbulent chapters of Greece’s modern shipping industry.

Gourdomichalis was widely liked in shipping circles for his personal charm and admired for a stubborn integrity that he deployed in his personal business dealings but also in the service of his country and his industry.

He was a committed moderniser who, during his period in charge of the UGS from 1984 to 1991, overhauled the internal workings of the Union and sought to develop Piraeus as a world-class shipping hub that he believed could grow to rival the status of the London maritime cluster.

Shipowning had not been in his family background. Born in Athens as the son of a middle-class trader who originated from the Mani, he was active in the resistance during the Second World War and eventually had to flee Greece. En route to Egypt to join the Greek Royal Navy there, he met his future wife, Rena Fatsis, daughter of a Chios ship’s master and shipowner. The event turned his life towards shipping.

After the war, he graduated in economics and the couple based themselves in London, where

2020 INDUCTEE

he became an understudy for Greek shipping luminary Angelo Lusi and later for John C. Carras.

His own shipowning career began in 1959 in partnership with the Vlassopoulos family. He acquired his first dry cargo and tanker tonnage in the 1960s, and in 1969 he established Gourdomichalis Maritime in Piraeus and Gourdomichalis & Co. (Chartering) in London in order to run his own fleet.

In 1974, after the junta collapsed, he moved his entire family to Greece and the next year was elected to the board of the Union of Greek Shipowners under Anthony Chandris. At the same time he was a founding investor in Ergobank, one of the country’s first private banks.

His vision was to maximise shipping’s contribution to the country and its economy, not least through creating competitive conditions for the Greek flag, and turning Piraeus into an international financial and maritime centre.

Gourdomichalis maintained a medium-sized fleet. As a shipowner he initially concentrated on secondhand tonnage, acquiring both bulk carriers and tankers and he maintained his vessels to the highest standards so that they could achieve a premium both in charter rates

STATHIS G. GOURDOMICHALIS (1923-2006)

Later, he was also persuaded of the economics of ordering newbuildings.

Goudomichalis’ legacy stems more from his public role in shipping fora, chiefly the UGS, rather than building his own empire. He was sincere about wanting to improve shipping as well as strengthening its contribution to Greece’s development.

and when they came to be sold. To this end, he also branded the vessels with the pre-fix ‘Kavo-‘ rather than picking names à la carte.

Unfortunately his greatest expansion occurred on the cusp of the savage crisis the industry entered in the early 1980s. Two larger, 108,000 dwt tankers Gourdomichalis was converting in Spain were never traded while other vessels in the fleet had to be laid-up.

Gourdomichalis rode out much of the crisis by selling off other interests. While shipping was always the centre of his focus, he was also active in other businesses, including banking, tourism, investment funds and wine-making, among others. Eventually, though, all but two of the ships were sold. However, the shipowner’s integrity in meeting obligations throughout the difficult years ensured that he was able to obtain finance to gradually rebuild in the late 1980s and the following decade.

As UGS president he inherited a lengthy list of troubles that ranged from the crisis overwhelming the shipping market and a rapid decline in the Greek flag fleet to antagonism from the left-wing government of Andreas Papandreou.

Gourdomichalis fought successfully to protect Greece’s tonnage tax system and pushed to provide Piraeus with modern telecommunications, although this was not achieved until after his term in office was over.

During his presidency he had to deal with four different governments and nine different shipping ministers.

Only in the latter stages, with the election of Constantine Mitsotakis as prime minister, was he matched with a political leader that like himself supported free market principles.

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Accordingly, he took on a greater role in the wider business life of the nation, such as sitting on the boards of pivotal entities such as the National Bank of Greece and Olympic Airways.

GEORGE A. PAPPADAKIS (1938 –1992)

George Pappadakis was born into a family that has contributed enormously to the Greek and international shipping industry, although his life was sadly cut short at the age of 53.

Father Antonis G. Pappadakis (1900-1981) was born on the island of Kassos but the family moved to Egypt when he was young. He initially worked in shipping agencies but soon went on to purchase his first ships, continuing a family shipowning tradition.

In 1938 his wife Virginia had twin sons, George and Nicky. They grew up in the US after their parents visited New York and stayed for the duration of the Second World War.

During the war, the family fleet was put at the disposal of the US government to aid the Allied war effort. George inherited a profound sense of shipping’s duty in times of need and later in his career became a key figure in merchant shipping’s interaction with NATO.

The family lost just one of its vessels during the war, while another - the North King - was deemed so lucky to have survived 17 Atlantic convoys that many of the family’s post-war ships were prefixed ‘North-‘. It was able to acquire two of the 98 Liberty vessels assigned to Greek owners at the end of the war.

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George in particular seemed destined for a maritime career, having shown a fascination for ships as a young boy. From the age of four years old George declared that he intended to become a ship’s captain, while Nicky dreamt more of becoming a pilot. Both brothers went to sea at age 15 and George went on to fulfill his destiny and obtain his first-class Greek master’s licence. Later, he gave utmost importance to the role of seafarers and supported Greek maritime academies.

He was an idealist and in the 1950s supported the Cuban revolution against the dictator Batista. “I was not there, but my brother was a hero in the eyes of many Cubans,” recalls twin Nicky Pappadakis. Although he returned with an offer from Castro of a lucrative concession for shipping sugar exports, as well as a proposal to cooperate on developing a Cuban fleet, father Antonis Pappadakis was not keen on furthering the relationship.

After the Second World War the hub of the family shipping operation moved to London, where A. G. Pappadakis & Co, and afterwards Antares Shipping, were established.

Right:

(top) Donating a vessel to the Hellenic Coast Guard’s search and rescue centre; (bottom) ‘North King’ has been a recurring name in the family’s fleet.

GEORGE A. PAPPADAKIS (1938

–1992)

The family also maintained Freighters and Tankers Agency Corp in New York, Triton in Greece and Palmyra Management in Switzerland. In the 1950s the group emerged as a leading shipowner, ordering tankers, bulk carriers and ore-bulk-oil carriers.

In 1961, the two brothers both joined A. G. Pappadakis in London. While Nicky concentrated on the chartering side, George managed the office and spent hours with superintendents, acquiring expertise in surveys, dry dockings and the other technical aspects of the business. He was also qualified as an engineer and during the 1960s and 1970s he frequently proved his technical grasp of shipping. Although the group built ships in several countries, he developed particularly strong relations with Japan. Meanwhile, he strove to repair ships whenever practical in Greece.

George followed his father in building new vessels that would reflect his standards and ideas, providing superior accommodation for seafarers than was general practice at the time in shipping. It was one of the first companies worldwide to insist on separate cabins and bathrooms for each crew member.

One of his most far-sighted initiatives was to send a pool of 50 of the company’s captains and most senior officers to attend courses at

Above: (top) George Pappadakis had particularly strong relationships with Japanese builders; (bottom) a master’s dayroom on a Pappadakis vessel.

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Sogreah’s unique new tank-testing facility for training officers on scale models of bulkers, tankers and other large ships. After the centre was used in the late 1960s by Esso, the Pappadakis group was among the very first independent shipping companies to use the facility, the first of its kind worldwide, and it duly earned a reduction of its insurance premium at Lloyd’s. The International Maritime Organization was not to recommend manned model training until many years later, in 2005.

After their father died in 1981, the brothers transferred the head office of the group to Piraeus and renamed the company in Greece as Kassian Navigation.

George enthusiastically contributed to developing the port of Kassos and helped fund national services, including donation of a search and rescue boat to the Hellenic Coast Guard, named Antonios G. Pappadakis in honour of their father.

George Pappadakis was closely involved with various industry bodies and committees during his career, including classification society Lloyd’s Register. He was twice elected to the board of directors of the Union of Greek Shipowners, during the second presidency of Stathis Gourdomichalis, from 1987 to 1991, and again in February 1991 for the first term of John Goumas.

An adventurous spirit, he was among the first Greek shipowners to negotiate containership newbuildings. He envisaged returning to the sea to captain one of the two feeder-size vessels from the J.J. Sietas shipyard in Hamburg, but unfortunately he was taken ill before this vision could be realised.

George Pappadakis left behind many admirers, who testify to his selfless character, religious faith and rare sense of humour, as well as his service to shipping.

George Pappadakis with twin brother Nicky.

FOUNDATION SUPPORTERS

Allseas Marine S.A.

Almi Tankers S.A.

Alpha Bulkers Shipmanagement Inc.

Angelicoussis Shipping Group Limited

Arcadia Shipmanagement Co. Ltd.

Capital Ship Management Corp.

Cardiff Marine Inc.

Ceres Shipping Ltd.

Chartworld Shipping Corporation

Costamare Inc.

Cyprus Sea Lines Co. Ltd

Delta Tankers Ltd

Dorian LPG

Empire Navigation Inc.

Enterprises Shipping & Trading S.A.

European Navigation Inc.

M/Maritime

Navios Maritime Holdings Inc.

Olympic Shipping and Management S.A.

Phoenix Energy Navigation S.A.

Safe Bulkers Inc.

Target Marine S.A.

The Tsakos Group

Tsavliris Salvage Group

Vafias Group

CEES W. VAN NOORT

This year Greek shipping lost a number of leading personalities and alongside them a remarkable friend of the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame: Cornelis Wilhelmus van Noort - or Cees, as we knew him.

Cees was unique as a member of the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Academy, our voting body. There are only a handful of non-Greek members of the Academy and Cees was the only non-Greek member of the Academy who was not active in the Greece-based shipping community. Yet few could rival his knowledge of Greek shipping and his affection for it.

Born in 1947 near the shipyard of WiltonFijenoord, Schiedam, Netherlands, he had a daily view of the ships making their way to Rotterdam. He later made his career at the Rotterdam Port Authority, first as captain on the patrol vessels and later as a supervisor and an expert in emergency response.

Cees’ journey to becoming a passionate philhellene began through encountering Greek ship’s masters and superintendents during his duties for the port. He was overwhelmed by their hospitality on board and later found that this extended to the offices of the managing companies, many of which he visited. Over time he also saw first-hand the improvement in quality of Greek ships – “from sometimes sub-standard to first-class.”

1947 TO 2021

He became fascinated by the history of the industry and admired how Greek families collectively managed to rebuild after the Second World War, expanding the Greekowned fleet to become a world leader.

A regular visitor to Greece, often with his late wife Wil, he particularly looked forward to visiting Chios, Oinousses, Syros and other spots that have produced leading shipping families. On one particularly busy summer trip, the itinerary included not only visits to Hydra and Spetses but also touring the Peloponnese with stops at no less than seven villages that were the birthplaces of leading shipowners. On such trips, he became friends with a number of owners.

Cees began taking photographs of ships when he was 19. Spanning nearly a half-century, his collection eventually contained 7,000 photos, with pride of place given to about 3,000 Greek ships, as well as a historical database with details of the Greek tanker fleet and the lineage of many shipping families.

After retiring from the port authority, Cees started Nestor Maritime Network, an office focused on maritime affairs and the environment. He also began to think about ensuring his legacy would be preserved for the future. In 2016, the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame acquired ‘The VanNoort Collection’,

comprising the Greek section of Cees’ collection of photos and his historical archive. We remain proud that Cees entrusted this cherished aspect of his life’s work to the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame.

Cees W. van Noort was a father, father-in-law and grandfather to Olaf & Barbara, Thijmen, Isé, Renate & Marcel, Sam, Lot, Evelyn & Martin.

Above: Cees was recognised at the 2016 Induction Ceremony & Dinner for his affiliation to Greek shipping and our acquisition of the VanNoort Collection - John Coustas made the presentation to Cees’ son Olivier; above right: Cees was a nautical school graduate and life-long sailor.

Cees.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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Further Acknowledgements

Additional Photography by Nikos Kokkalias

Interviews conducted by Philip Pangalos

Translations by Evgenia Georgopoulou

Aria Fine Catering and the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame support Boroume a non-profit organisation that prevents food waste by distributing the surplus food to people in need throughout Greece – www.boroume.gr

‘Kanaris and the burning flagship’ by Michail Papageorgiou (“Doris”, 1896-1987) - from the Greek Shipping Hall of Fame Collection.