Flying the flag!
Yesterday, 9 May 2017, at the Foundation Chatherine Laskarides in Piraeus, the shipping magazine NAFTIKA CHRONIKA presented the EFKRANTI Awards 2016.
In a packed room, at the presence of the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, the Commandant of the Hellenic Coast Guard, representatives of shipping entities, companies and the Press, HELMEPA was honored with the Award for best communication strategy, “for its organized, consistent, transparent and meaningful communication policy through cooperation with mass media representatives”.
The President of the Masters and Mates Union of Greek Merchant Marine (PEPEN), Mr. Em. Tsikalakis, introducing the award, stated:
“I feel especially honored to represent the large maritime family of Greek Masters and it is a great joy for me specifically, that as President of PEPEN, I present this award to HELMEPA. With HELMEPA we are connected with inextricable bonds because of our common aims and efforts for the protection of the marine environment and ocean resources. All of us, the Greek captains do not forget the endeavours of the pioneers of the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association – 35 years now – to nurture a high level of environmental consciousness through multiple means of information and refresher training… we owe them a lot!
Emmanuel Tsikalakis with George Gratsos
The acceptance of HELMEPA’s goals by the entirety of the shipping world, seafarers and owners alike, shows that the vision of the late shipowner George Livanos met with “receptive ears” and was materialized by competent and sensitized personnel. Presenting the EFKRANTI Award, I wish to congratulate the organizers for the selection of the recipient and for the fact that they stand by the maritime community and to HELMEPA for the immense environmental work carried out… warm congratulations.”
Receiving the Award, HELMEPA Chairman Dr. G. Gratsos warmly thanked NAFTIKA CHRONIKA on behalf of his colleagues at the Board of Directors, the Secretariat and especially the volunteer Members of the association. He referred to the late George P. Livanos, who had the idea of bringing together seafarers and shipowners, motivating them voluntarily and proactively. Furthermore, he stressed the offering of continuous training to merchant marine officers by means of simulator courses, seminars and e-learning and he mentioned the sister organizations – MEPAs created in 7 more countries and cooperating among them under the umbrella of INTERMEPA. Closing, Dr. Gratsos accentuated the fact that HELMEPA Members realized from the very beginning the need of sensitizing the younger generation on the protection of the sea and the environment, “something we do at an ever more intensive pace”.
Panos Zachariadis, G.eorge Gratsos and Thimio E. Mitropoulos
All of us in HELMEPA wish to warmly congratulate each and every recipient of the Awards as well as the organizers and supporters of the event!
