John Faraclas’ live interview to Panos Thomakos at SBC TV last Friday the 7th of December 2012 tackled the following issues:
1. The continuation of the downward markets – wet and dry, and the continuous stagnation of China for a 7th Quarter still affecting the chartering, and sales and purchase markets, needless to say the world economy…
2. The Markets, the fall of the BDI below 1, 000 points (966). He hinted that shipbrokers must become more serious and the markets cannot be “stressed” upwards…and look good or to the satisfaction of those with “vested” interests, as they have skeletons in their cupboards and their predictions failed. He mentioned that he doesn’t employ irony, but the markets are verbatim the way he and the channel announced since Posidonia as well as his predictions back in 2002 and 2008!
3. As the Channel from time to time analyses and reports on the listed companies in the various stock exchanges, he invited the Channel to organize a live debate and make comparisons of the figures from the time these companies entered the stock markets, then, as he said, one can see the reality and where we are heading.
4. Thomakos requested an explanation so as the man in the street understands the importance of the freight (chartering) markets and how same affect world trade and Greece of course. Faraclas countered on the issue of Greece’s problems that, except the fact that Greece is blessed climate wise etc., Greece is a self-sustained country to all intents and purposes and it is about time to start exporting oil, gas, (gold as Thomakos mentioned too) on a fast track issue, but on an “one thing at a time” basis, not step by step. Whoever from the Greeks (hinting the various governments and their administration) doesn’t believe that Greece can produce and export oil and gas, he labeled them as anti-Greeks and let them have a Scottish cold shower… (in a nutshell he menat these people are serving others interests, vested interests…)
5. n continuation to the above pont, he mentioned the Afrimari event in London, which by coincidence attended a few days before, where one of the issues was the boundaries for oil etc., amongst the African nations, how boundaries are marked and hinted the intrusion of the super power defending its interests in this saga…
6. He then referred to the message of the Greek Minister of Shipping, Maritime Affairs and the Aegean Kostis Moussouroulis on St. Nicholas Day (6th of December) to the Greek Seafarers and the Harbor Corps/ Coast Guard Officers and he said the despicable situation they are faced in London and Brussels that they transfer them every two years, in the middle even of the school term – as some have their families over here in London or in Brussels, how this is costing money to these officers and the tax payer and invited the Attorney General of Greece to step in and see the unnecessary costs, when all other representatives stay in London and conversely attend the IMO meetings for 3-5 years and the Greeks only two, inviting the Minister here and now to rectify this injustice. Moreover he has condemned, alike in the past, the respective officers who have served in London and complaint for this issue themselves, and then when reaching the top echelon in the Harbor Corps/ Coast Guard of Greece back in the Ministry, despicably ignore this fact and their mates!!! A gross injustice. These officers are doing their best for Greece in the IMO and Europe and the world’s interests at large given that Greece is the world’s biggest maritime nation and this is not the way for these officers to be treated in this manner by “under the stairs people” as well as by other fellow officers who envy them. Thomakos too stressed the issue of envy… He praised the Harbor Corps / Coast Guard and invited the TV Channels and journalists to come and verify his sayings, and see the mountains of documents they have to go through every day. (Viewers should note that the Government wishes to reduce the number of serving officers in London to one from two, given that only few years ago they were three plus office personnel, a retired master-mariner and an office female manager. Is this how the current government wishes to pursue a maritime policy and treat its nation’s shipping, the biggest in the world in this way? How these officers allocate their time? In the Office? In the IMO? In meetings? In visiting Greek Flag ships as well as Greek beneficiary owned vessels which are listed in the SPF (NAT)? A reply live on TV is needed),
7. Being present in the South Africa event on SA Agulhas, the training ship now in Thames in London, and following the presentation just before his interview, he said how well he was received by the South Africans and the avenues open for Greece, its shipowners, its coast guard for matters of maritime education and training, needles to mention issues of sponsorships etc., etc., and,
8. Finally, he mentioned the latest news that China is set to finance ships, particularly newbuildings (built in China) and this will obviously jeopardize the shipfinance and shipping markets. Its good for China, but one has to look what is the benefit of the entire world, the entire shipping business and urged caution from London and Piraeus money brokers/financiers/consultants/shipbrokers to refrain as this will cause havoc in the markets. (How about these ships to be build in Greece for a change?)
We look forward to our viewer comments. As usual there will be a translation into English and viewers can log on here to listen:
1 comment
once again accurate analysis.
strategic thinking and maturity.