HBC newsreader Andriana Paraskevopoulou joined Nigel Lowry to co-host the event
Bodouroglou, Vafias and Daifas Scoop Greek Shipping Awards
– Aegean Bulk, Neda Maritime and Blue Star Ferries also honoured –
THE winners of the Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards for 2012 have been announced at a glittering gala dinner and awards presentation which attracted 1, 000 of Greece’s leading shipping personalities, executives and their guests.
The packed audience for the 9th annual Greek Shipping Awards, organised by Lloyd’s List, the international maritime newspaper established in 1734, heard welcoming speeches by the minister of Shipping and the Aegean, Kostis Mousouroulis, and Noboru Ueda, president of ClassNK, the event’s overall lead sponsor.
Kostis Mousouroulis, Minister of Shipping & The Aegean, opened the event with a welcome speech in both English and Greek for the international audience.
Guests enjoyed a pre-dinner cocktail reception hosted by the American Bureau of Shipping and the event, held as is traditional at the Athenaeum InterContinental Hotel, was also supported by numerous Greek and international companies sponsoring individual awards, as well as by a number of prestigious industry organisations.
Noboru Ueda, chairman and president of Event Sponsor ClassNK, delighted the audience with a lively speech in Greek.
The awards are held annually to recognise and reward achievement and meritorious activity in the Greek shipping industry as well as to promote Greece’s status as a maritime centre. Winners are chosen by an independent panel of judges representing a broad cross-section of the Greek shipping industry.
Lambros Varnavides, managing director and global head of shipping for sponsor the Royal Bank of Scotland with Michael Bodouroglou.
THE WINNERS
Michael Bodouroglou, chairman and chief executive of two US-listed shipowning companies, Paragon Shipping and Box Ships, was named Greek Shipping Personality of the Year for 2012, reflecting a year of growth and bold initiative. This included his private company, Allseas Marine, which also expanded with bulker acquisitions.
Managing director of the Vafias Group, Harry Vafias, accepting the Award from George Xiradakis, founder and managing director of sponsor XRTC Business Consultants.
Lloyd’s List’s Greek Shipping Newsmaker of the Year award went to Harry Vafias, chief executive of Nasdaq listed StealthGas, for a year which showed the virtues of his steady leadership of the company in the healthy LPG carrier market, climaxing with an order for LPG newbuildings. The Award is decided by the editorial staff of Lloyd’s List.
Christos Kokkinis, head of sponsor Alpha Bank’s shipping division, presenting the Award to Irene Daifas who accepted on behalf of her father, Stavros Antonios Daifas.
Stavros Daifas, a stalwart of modern Greek shipping, was awarded the Lloyd’s List / Propeller Club Lifetime Achievement Award for an outstanding career which began from scratch and, apart from a longstanding presence in shipowning, included long service to the Union of Greek Shipowners.
Maersk McKinney Møller was posthumously elected International Personality of the Year, the only award open exclusively to non-Greeks. The patriarch of the Maersk group died earlier this year, aged 98, after a lifetime building Maersk into a global colossus.
The recipient of the Dry Cargo Company of the Year Award for 2012 was Aegean Bulk Co., which during the year took delivery of two eco-type kamsarmax newbuildings, among the first bulkers built with electronic engines. Aegean Bulk has pioneered with a quality, environmentally-friendly bulker operation and its record includes the first Greek Award recognition of a bulk carrier.
Angeliki Vrana, wife of Capt. Pagkalos, Master of m/v Navarino, accepting the Award on his behalf from George Tsavliris, principal of sponsor Tsavliris Salvage Group.
One of Greece’s oldest shipping companies, Neda Maritime Agency, won the Tanker Company of the Year Award. The year saw the world’s first-ever double hull VLCC, the historic Arosa, leave the Neda fleet, and two high-spec modern VLCCs join the operation.
The Seafarer of the Year Award was won by Capt Athanasios Pagkalos of the Costamare containership Navarino. The master was awarded the prize for going to the rescue of an ailing 72 year-old yachtsman last August, when he called for help hundreds of miles off the coast of Hawaii.
Danaos Corporation’s post-panamax containership Hyundai Ambition, delivered earlier this year as the fifth and last ship in a series of 13, 100 teu newbuildings, caught the judges eye as the ‘Ship of the Year’ for numerous fuel efficiency features as well as its IT and communications systems, catering to better management and crew needs.
Zhang Anming, deputy general manager of Piraeus Container Terminal accepting the Award from Panos G. Moraitis, CEO of sponsor Aspida Maritime Security Corp.
The Awards are officially supported by prominent bodies in Greek shipping, including the Union of Greek Shipowners, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee. Supporting organizations also include the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association – Helmepa, the Hellenic Shipbrokers’ Association, the Association of Greek Passenger Shipping Companies. the Propeller Club, International Port of Piraeus, WISTA Hellas, the Association of Banking & Financial Executives of Hellenic Shipping, and the Piraeus Association for Maritime Arbitration.
Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards 2012
George, Constantinos and Panayotis Angelopoulos of winner Aegean Bulk with Peggy Papastavrou, head of shipping and legal advisor of sponsor, The Athens Exchange.
WINNERS AT-A-GLANCE
Dry Cargo Company of the Year – Aegean Bulk Co. Inc.
Tanker Company of the Year – Neda Maritime Agency Co. Ltd.
Passenger Line of the Year – Blue Star Ferries
Shipbroker of the Year – Optima Shipbrokers
Shipping Financier of the Year – DVB Bank
Ship of the Year – “Hyundai Ambition”
Technical Achievement Award – SNAME Greek Section
Piraeus International Centre Award – Piraeus Container Terminal S.A.
International Personality of the Year – Maersk McKinney Møller
Seafarer of the Year – Capt. Athanasios Pagkalos
Award for Achievement in Education or Training – Hydra Maritime Academy
Man of the Sea – George M. Foustanos
Capt. Panagiotis Tsakos, principal of the Tsakos Group, accepting the Award from Apostolos Poulovassilis, regional manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa for sponsor Lloyd’s Register.
Award for Achievement in Safety or Environmental Protection – The Tsakos Group
Lloyd’s List/Propeller Club Lifetime Achievement Award – Stavros Antonios Daifas
Greek Shipping Newsmaker of the Year – Harry Vafias
Greek Shipping Personality of the Year – Michael Bodouroglou
The 2012 Greek Shipping Awards hosted 1, 000 guests from the Greek and international maritime communities to celebrate excellence in shipping.
