A view of the Wellington Ballroom during dinner – more tahn a ful house
Now what can you say about this event, the 21st Anniversary of the Hellenic Engineers Society of Great Britain (HESGB*)? Anny Zade reports on this annual well established international event; pictures by John Faraclas:
As we have mentioned numerous times, continuation and sustainability is the name of the game for everything being successful in business, particularly in the shipping adventure, the most delicate of all businesses put together on Planet Ocean; these two words – continuity and sustainability, are the ingredients reflecting to HESGB’s success!
Intense networking during the pre-dinner reception…
With a record attendance in London’s Park Lane Hilton, one of the landmarks of the British capital, nearly 600 members and supporters of HESGB gathered for this special anniversary: the society’s 21st Anniversary Dinner & Dance, for the “nuts” and “bolts”, as we have …brand them, coming of age!
…with BV’s George Melas and his wife Alkistis Pantiora with Rebecca and Yannis Calogeras
Following the society’s re-tuning in last years’ event, which was planned for three years – thanks to the patience of the president Dimitris Monioudis, his wife Camila and the HESGB events committee, this event proved how interwoven the entire technical sector of the shipping industry is to all intents and purposes! The 600 or so participants from over 35 countries supporting this commemorative anniversary from the shipping industry’s diverse sectors, created in my humble view The HESGB cluster!
…John T. Edmonds, John C. Evans, Eleni Blioka, Doreen Boulding and Antonis D. Faraklas
Moreover the arrival of all those supporters – members and guests from Greece in particular, proves that despite the seven years of severe, both economic, political crisis and austerity there, only the shipping industry is capable to sustain the effects of this triple crisis, but also the current shipping and world economic ones, the worse so far from all recorded! It is important to understand how paramount shipping is for Greece and its existence given also the unprecedented attacks from various supposed politically, business and ethical correct nations and organisations – the recent statements and speeches by the president of the UGS (Union of Greek Shipowners) Theodore Veniamis and the chairman of the GSCC (Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee) are more than self-explanatory.
…Takis N. Pappas with his family, daughter Haris, wife Christina, son Nicos and friends Evagoras Leventis and Michail Sinoplis…
It is more than paramount to understand these attacks emanating from Greek Shipping’s “competitors” and supposed to be friends too – governments in particular, which, instead of performing fair competition practices opt for destructive ones, ignoring the fact that Greece Rules The Waves for Ten Millennia – for those who ignore this very fact of the Ten Millennia, will be more than glad to entertain them! Greek Shipping is here to stay and it will be wise and prudent for all to see the skeletons in their own cupboards. London and the HESGB annual event acts as the Rendezvous so to speak of all the international shipping fraternity’s stakeholders.
…and Maritime Arbitrator Dr. Aleka Mandaraka-Sheppard with Agapi Terzis.
The HESGB is after all, the medium through cooperation and synergies defusing the tensions and enhancing cooperation, and this epitomises its scope in all fronts, be it charitable, educational, employment, you name it!
Sea Guardian’s Dimitris Fakiolas with his wife Dora Kafetzi from Bureau Veritas in Piraeus
After an intense networking and even deal-making (!) pre-dinner champagne and soft drinks reception at the Harvest Suite, where amongst others, there were a few stands featuring products and services, we were touched with the welcome approach of Anna Warren from the Newcastle University, one of the cradles of Marine Engineering and beyond; she asked us whether “…being graduates” noticing our interest; as a mother and WISTA-UK member, having also a son in the sector, I was very touched, proud and pleased of how the HESGB honours and being honoured in Maritime Education and Training, as well as the society’s importance and success in promoting educational events both in Greece and in the UK!
Fujairah Marine Services table with Maria Kontoyannis, Tenia Koronaiou and husband Costas Amarantides, Loukas Kontoyannis, Dimitris Batalis, Telis and Dina Giannou, Leonidas, Rebecca and Anna Ioannou, Dimitris Mavrogiannis, Nedime Ozoglou, and George Pratsinis
Academics, Accountants, Architects and Civil Engineers, Associations, Aero Tourism Clubs, Brokers, Bankers and Financiers, Bunker suppliers, Charity Organisations, Chartering Brokers, Claims Specialists, Class Societies representatives, Cruise Industry groups, Diplomats, Diving and Underwater specialists, Environmental Protection and Products companies, Fashion designers and clothing specialists, Flag States and Ship’s Registries, Florists, Freight Forwarders, Food and Drinks groups, Hotels and Resorts companies, IT Computer and Communications specialists, Logistics and Ports services, Lubricants companies and suppliers, Marine Engineers, Marine Paints, Maritime Arbitartors, Military Authorities – Coast Guard officers, Naval Architects, Navigational Systems and Aids were there in full force….
The Athena table (27) with the Greek Consul Sotirios Demestihas in the centre (front) with Dr. Aleka Mandaraka Sheppard on hte left and Stavrianna Asprogiannidou on the right and other guests from the Leon Papazoglou family and company including Prof. Andrew Willmott and his wife Sasa, Peter and Lee Polydor, Viki Fotopoulou, Georgia. Fotopoulou, and Yiannis Filios…
Add also the Offshore Companies, Oil Companies, P & I Associations, Press and Media, Regulatory, Salvage – Towage and Wreck Removals entities, Security Anti Piracy and Terrorism specialist firms, Shipmanagers, Ship Agencies, Ship Chandlers and Suppliers, Shipbrokers, Shipyards representatives for shipbuilding / shiprepair and conversions, The entire Shipping Markets and sectors – Bulk, Oil /Containers/ LNG and LPG carriers / Reefers, Travel Agencies – specialists also in Marine Travel, Underwriters were present and we had also noticed that accompanying guest’s other halves engaged in other sectors, such as medicine, the arts, public services where more than impressed of our industry!
The Chartworld table with Eleni Blioka, Takis Roumbas, Antonis Vyrgiotis, John C. Evans, Doreen Boulding, John T. Edmonds, Commodore Davy Rolle, Antonis D. Faraklas, John Faraclas and Anny Zade
I guess that beyond the president’s Dimitris Monioudis’ mentioning of the 600 guests and 35 nationalities figure, one has to be reminded that people travelled from all five continents to ensure being here on time and then return despite the short stay in London, but taking advantage of the long, for some weekend and festivities in the Far East with the coming of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Monkey!
The Dinner at the Wellington Ball Room was excellent and the meat – very importantly well prepared with the right temperature – a great achievement judging other major events.
HESGB president Dimitris Monioudis seconds before his welcoming speech
The Welcome Address by the HESGB president, which more or less all have seen in the exceptionally designed programme this year, amongst other mentionings, references and points, honoured our analyst John Faraclas for predicting the projection and levels of the shipping markets and respective indices; add the fact that our last year’s coverage of the event was in the centre of the programme! THANK YOU Dimitris Monioudis!
Tradition and scientific facts as have mentioned above as well as in other parts of the www.allaboutshipping.co.uk are more than important and on the last two events the Antikythera Mechanism and now the Pharos, the Great Lighthouse of Alexandria 270 BC cases were nicely and very eloquently presented. Good job done by Mark Aaron.
the ABS table with Dimitris Kostaras seating on the front right with guests including Enrico Brina, Andrea Caputi, Efstathios Kalogiton, Pierpaolo Marchi, David Morgan, Helen Morgan, Barry Moss and Mrs. Eunha Sung
At HESGB we have witnessed the best performances by the Lykion ton Hellinidon (The Lyceum), the Greek folklore dancers in London. Mainland Greek Dances (Thrace) and islanders’ too excited all, Greeks and their international friends.
Manos did …stand-up on the occasion for the Greeks, particularly at a time most needed; the London-based Samian comedian received a great applause. Bravo Manos Kanellos!
Dancing was an issue as Hellenic Nights’ DJ Avgoustinos Galiatsos had to do his utmost best to please the multiple requests! We did our part too… for a change on stage!
ClassNK table with Manju and Dr. Abdul Rahim, Nikolas Kassimatis and his wife, Shintaro Fujinima and his wife, Hiroki Mukai, Daisuke Shiraki and his wife
Sarah Summers, Corporate and Trust Fundraiser at Sailors’ Societynattended the event and gave a short speech to guests re the work of this wonderful charity:
Founded in 1818, Sailors’ Society is present at many of the key ports around the globe where it maintains a staff of professional Chaplains who are experienced in multi-faith and cross-cultural
work.
Captain Pottengal Mukundan, John Faraclas, Anny Zade, Tenia Koronaiou, Manju Rahim and Indu Mukundan
Chaplains and volunteers assist thousands of merchant seafarers each year; extending a hand of friendship, hospitality and pastoral care to all those seafarers they meet regardless of their rank or circumstance. They meet seafarers where they work – on board the huge variety of cargo and cruise ships at the strategic ports of the world. They also bring with them practical services like SIM phone cards to connect with loved ones at home, the latest newsprint in many languages and are able to change foreign money into local currency for shopping etc.
As part of its round-the-clock mission, Sailors’ Society provides a wide spectrum of support services – chaplaincy, spiritual guidance and counsel, provision of welfare support to seafarers and their families, assistance with continuing maritime education and, when in dire need, financial help.
Finally the Raffle Draw – for which we will bring the winners on the next update, was the best ever in terms of luck – there was a tall lucky man who got two great prizes, as well as for the variety, value and support of the sponsors. Mentioning the sponsors, well this year they have all exceeded any previous record and imperatively we must all be pleased for the support the Sailors’ Society got! The Michael Sfakianakis Odyssey Academy Foundation too was well noticed and discussed.
Many Congratulations for all who took part in any way and capacity producing this memorable evening.
The Ares table with Lambros Hilas, Marialena Zissimopoulos, Dimosthenis Botsis and his wife, Manos Papagrigorakis, Manolis Katzolas, Dimitris Fakiolas, Dora Kafetzi, Georgina Ladas, and James Chan,
HESGB* :The idea to form a Club had been regularly mulled over since the early 1980’s, but it was not until the summer of 1995, that a group of Greek Engineer friends, based in the UK and predominantly Graduates from Newcastle and Sunderland, conclusively decided to form a “Club of Greek Engineers” with its main goal to maintain social contact amongst its widely spread membership. Later that year, the first General Assembly was held, at which time, the official name of “Hellenic Engineers Society of Great Britain” was endorsed, the Society’s statutes were formulated and the first Governing Committee was elected.
George J. Margaronis, Geroge Melas, John and Jane Eltringham, Rebecca Kalogeras, Gavin and Vanessa Moores and Yiannis Kalogeras
From inception, the aim of the Society has been to nurture and promote professional and social contact amongst its members and particularly younger members, newly positioned within the shipping industry. This is achieved by holding informal gatherings, providing a forum for exchanging views on technical matters and by organizing numerous social and cultural events.
The Society started off with around eighty Founding Members and since then has increased in membership year on year, firmly establishing its presence within the UK maritime industry.
Lloyd’s Register EMEA Theodossis Stamatellos and GSCC’s Maria Syllignaki
In fact, just as Greek shipping history goes back over 4, 000 years, we are proud to report that our Society’s membership has a collective experience within the industry exceeding 4, 000 years with many members requested to share their views and expertise in various prestigious international for a, such as IMO, Intercargo and BIMCO.
At the same time, the society has been privileged to welcome into its ranks a number of non-Engineer Associate Members, who have wished to actively participate and support its Society’s functions and thus broadening HESGB influence even further. 2009 was truly memorable for the Society’s brief history.
Lloyd’s Register Dr. Jonathan Morley and his wife Dr. Christine Morley
The new logo was introduced to critical acclaim, based on the trireme, the ancient Greek warship which was fast, agile and state of the art, all attributes HESGB wishes to emulate three millennia later. The website was also revamped and relaunched bringing our members even closer together. Worth logging on for the rest of interesting functions… www.hesgb.com
