John N. Faraclas
The following are the main points – in brief – from the latest John Faraclas live interview to Panos Thomakos on SBC TV last Friday the 8tht of March 2013:
1)Faraclas begun with the International Women’s day. He said that: “… the success in shipping and particularly in Greek Shipping emanates from the powerful Greek Women – in the last 300 years their contribution is more than evident.
2) Thomakos agreed and went further mentioning the time women were away from their sailor husbands; Faraclas continued enhancing the issue with examples and continued with the WISTA effect and the iForU which also is a woman’s court! Greek WISTAs are one of the best in the World! He said: “…One can see their success in all fronts of our industry to all intents and purposes; Maritime lawyers, shipbrokers, technical consultants, marine insurance and claims executives, journalists, shipowners and shipmanagers, bankers and beyond…”
3) On the Markets Faraclas reiterated his view that is early days to be cheerful and despite the +67 points of the BDI to 843 within a week, things are still sour… He continued with the possible the scrapping issue that will come soon even for new tonnage. He said: “The Overcapacity issue hangs as a Damocles Sword! The most capable owners will be able to sustain this crisis, this new era in the markets…”
4)The crisis in the Shipyard Sector was fully analysed… and its detrimental effect following then politicians wrong view and the unions stubbornness dictated also from abroad…. Thomakos mentioned the Chinese’s additional interest in the Perama Repair Zone and Faraclas stressed why the Chinese the take over Skaramanga shipyards…??? The Ports issue too was tackle by both Thomakos and Faraclas, stressing the northern Greek Ports, Kavalla and Thessaloniki in particular… Faraclas did explained the issue, adding with dismay the behavior of the Greek Authorities, particularly the Governments and the Unions against the Greek investor… “The Greeks might prefer for non-Greeks to take over companies but not Greeks”, he said. He mentioned the case of Prof. Andreadis breaking/ending the Niarchos’ family monopoly…..in the Gulf of Eleusis, as well as other examples and progress of the Eleusis Shipyards besides of course the success of Scaramanga and the other Yards. Obviously you cannot underestimate Perama, but without the major Shipyards’ rejuvenation, Perama will die for ever.
5)On China he mentioned that there are 83 billionaires in the House of Representatives, parliament so to say, with the USA having none…. Mao, the great wheeler was from a rich family… A special situation, hinting the respective issues in Greece with the left parties policies on wealth…
6) The way Privatization will work even if COSCO takes over the Shipyards it will be beneficial; Greece will bring-in ships, built ships and more containers will be carried in Greece and one shipyard company is needed with Kostas Kokkalas at the helm so same can be profitably operate.
7)On the job front, Faraclas objected to the new initiativeof the current regime for the 1, 000 seafarers, “…200 and 800 officers and lower ratings respectively is wrong”, he said, “….and nobody should throw good money after bad, particularly in the absence of collective agreements”, and finally,
8) for Northern Greece Cruise… “momentum” as Faraclas is sensitive on the entire development issue there, the latest announcement that cruise ships will call in Thessaloniki sounds great, but do we have the appropriate infrastructure to receive same and properly entertain these thousands of tourists in the entire Northern Greek area….?
We look forward to our viewer comments. As usual there will be a translation into English and viewers can log on here to listen:
