Rear Admiral James Watson
Once more the International Propeller Club of the United States, International Port of Piraeus in cooperation with the United States Embassy to the Hellenic Republic and the United States Coast Guard organized the AMVER Awards Ceremony. The ceremony took place at the Athenaeum Intercontinental Hotel on October 13th among 880 members of the Maritime Community. One Hundred and thirty six Greek controlled shipping companies received 944 awards on behalf of 944 vessels participating in the AMVER System.
The President of the Propeller Club, Mr. Antonios Stamos Faraklas and the Deputy Chief of Mission, Mrs. Virginia Lynn Bennett of the United States Embassy of America to the Hellenic Republic, welcomed attending guests. The President remarked “We need to work together, owners and seafarers to achieve the common goals of safety at sea. During these times of world crisis, which has not left shipping untouched, by joining the AMVER program you assist our common target, providing safety for the seafarer”.
Secretary General, Mr. Theodoros Kontes, Ceremony coordinator, invited immediate past President of the Propeller Club and President of Intercargo, Mr. Nicky Pappadakis, who was presented by the President the Propeller Club Special Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding services to the Greek and International Shipping.
Nicky Pappadakis and Antonis-Stamos Faraklas
Mr. Pappadakis thanked the Propeller Club for the award and said ‘Hope dies last, and many thought they were dead before being rescued by a ship in the AMVER scheme’ , emphasizing the importance of AMVER Program.
The representative of United States Coast Guard, Rear Admiral James Watson, director of prevention policy for marine safety, security and stewardship in Washington, saying he “has never seen so many AMVER participants” reflected on the fact that of the 5, 742 participants in Amver’s voluntary search and rescue scheme “in any one day an average 4, 000 ships worldwide are available to save lives”… and so far “265 lives have been saved this year”.
Governor Vasileios Mantzavinos, announced the AMVER Awards which were presented by Rear Admiral James Watson, DCM, Mrs. Virginia Lynn Bennett, with top in receiving Awards Company, Tsakos Shipping and Trading with 53 awards. Mr. George Anomeritis, President of OLP and CEO, Vice Admiral of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Mr. Constantinos Soulis, Secretary General of Safety of Navigation Mr. Athanasios Christopoulos, Secretary General of Shipping , Mr. Nikolaos Litinas, Secretary General of PORT AND Port Policy Mr. Athanassios Pallis, Mr. John Plakiotakis, New Democracy Political Party responsible for Shipping Domain, 2nd VP of International Propeller Club Mr. Markos Foros, Dr. John Coustas, Chairman of HELMEPA.
Rear Admiral James Watson, Mrs. Fafalios, Mr. Dimitrios J. Fafalios, Mrs. Despina Foros Tsirozidis, Mr. Antonis Stamos Faraklas.
Following Mr. Dimitrios J. Fafalios, Propeller Club, Maritime Committee Coordinator, referred to the heavy artillery of Greece namely Merchant Shipping and its contribution to the Libyan evacuation and announced the ‘Special Propeller Club Rescue Awards’.
DCM Mrs. Virginia Lynn Bennett
Honored by their presence, Captain Panayiotis Tsakos, Founder of Tsakos Group, H.E. Balzan Walter, Embassy of Malta, Mr. Rolle Davy, Bahamas Maritime Authority, Mr. Dalakas Aristidis, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), Mr. Houliarakis from ABS.
Also present were the Assistant U.S Navy Attache CDR, Jonathan Schawartz, Deputy Counselor for Economic Affairs, Daniel Ross, U.S Embassy.
Amongst those attended where: Mr. Elias Tsakos Entrust Maritime, Mr. Apostolos Doukas – Regional Vice President of the Propeller Club for Northern Europe and Africa, Mrs. Despina Foros Tsirozidis, 2nd VP of the Propeller Club, Mrs. Katerina Kalafatides, Mr. Greory Timagenis 1st VP of the Propeller Club, Mr. V. Katratzos, Mr. Zorbalas, Mr. Vasileios Koutentakis, Mr. K. Rokkos , Mr. I. Perantinos Atlantic Bulk Carriers, Mr. D. Patrikios General Manager of Springfield Shipping, Mr. S. Bertilone a RINA Regional Manager for Greece and Mr. S. Zolotas Head of RINA- Piraeus, Mr. K. Koutsoubelis Excel Maritime, Mr. D. Constantinou and C. Constantinou, Managing Director Moore Stephens Greece and Board member of Propeller Club, Mr. F. Teissier Managing Director of Bureau Veritas, Mr. Alek Tomazos Wartsila Group, Mr. Poulovassilis Lloyds Register, representatives of DNV, Danaos Shipping Co.Ltd, Kassian Maritime, Cayman Registry, Mrs. Lemou, members and friends of the Propeller Club.
Worth also mentioning the sponsors:
GOLD SPONSORS: TSAKOS COLUMBIA SHIPMANAGEMENT (“TCM”) S.A., ABS EUROPE Ltd. and CLASS NK.
SILVER SPONSORS: MARYVILLE MARITIME INC., MARFIN EGNATIA BANK, MOORE STEPHENS CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS, CHARTWORLD SHIPPING CORPORATION & MAJESTIC INTERNATIONAL CRUISES, and THE BAHAMAS MARITIME AUTHORITY.
BRONZE SPONSORS: HELLENIC LlOYD’S SA, OLP, DELTASKY CONGRESS & TOURS LLC and the ROYAL BANK of SCOTLAND.
VIP COCTAIL SPONSORS: WARTSILA, CASS TECHNAVA and the DNV.RECEPTION-OPEN BAR: THE MARSHALL ISLANDS REGISTRY, CHEVRON, A.P&A Group of Companies and SEVERN TRENT DE NORA.
REGISTRATION SPONSOR: BUREAU VERITAS. HOSPITALITY SPONSOR: INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL, and finaly the AMVER NEWSLETTER was sponsored by RINA.
