The Greeks and the Sea – A tale as long as time*

by Eleni Letoni**

Μέγα το της θαλάσσης κράτος.

Welcome to the land where the sea goes hand in hand with the evolution of this nation’s history. The place where adventure is in complete alignment with the kingdom of the mighty Poseidon.

Back at the time when the line between myth and history was very vague, a group of thirsty-for-adventure men and boys departed from Iolkos (modern day Volos in central Greece). They crossed the Aegean Sea through the Hellespont and towards the east edge of the Black Sea, aiming to bring to Greece the Golden Fleece, a guarantee of prosperity and wealth for the country that owned it. They were led by Jason and they called themselves Argonauts after the name of Argo, the legendary speaking vessel (our mythology included smart ships also!) that provided them valuable assistance and guidance throughout their dangerous voyage.

In the Iliad, the bedtime story of Alexander the Great and of so many others before and after him, Homer, the blind poet, provides a list of the ships that departed for Troy in order to bring back to Greece Helen, the most beautiful woman that ever lived. “The face that launched a thousand ships and burnt the topless towers of Ilium” according to Christopher Marlowe.

We all know Ulysses, whom we can safely claim is the archetype of the Greek seafarer. During his trip from Troy to Ithaca that lasted 10 long years – just like the Trojan War itself – he visited places all around the Mediterranean Sea, met people from different cultures and lived legendary adventures fighting monsters and God Poseidon himself.

In the historical times, between the 8^th and 6^th centuries BC, Greeks from the mainland traveled far from home in search of new places to live and prosper as merchants and craftsmen. From the South of France, South Italy and Sicily to Asia Minor, the Black Sea and as far as Syria, they founded numerous cities and with their merchant vessels, they transported goods but at the same time, they spread the Greek Culture at almost the entire known world at the time.

During the Persian Wars, the naval battles of Artemision and of Salamis that took place in 480 BC defined decisively the outcome of the combat that has started more than a decade earlier. The “wooden walls”, as the oracle of god Apollo in Delphi had predicted, would guard Greece against the Persian invasion and open the way for the Golden Age of Pericles to follow, setting the foundation of what was to become the Western Culture.

Throughout the years of the Ottoman occupation of Greece, especially since the late 18^th century, merchant shipping became the undeniable source of wealth for the Greeks, who travelled around Europe trading in the busiest ports of the continent and thus creating wealth for themselves and their families.

What is more, they became familiar with the ideas of the French Revolution and brought them back home, inspiring their fellow Greeks to fight for their freedom and their right to found their own national state.

With their merchant ships armed with weapons and cannons in order to face the threat of pirates, Greek seafarers were adequately trained in naval conflicts and when the time for the Revolution would come a few years later, they would prove to be a significantly valuable asset.

In 1821, the War of Independence broke out and the battles at sea played crucial role in the outcome of the war.  The Hellenic naval forces were undeniable protagonists during the revolution, cutting off the rival navy and at the same time providing the necessary food supplies to the islands and the mainland.

At this point, it is I believe of outmost importance to mention that despite the social place of women during the early 19^th century, some of the most prominent and legendary figures of the Greek Revolution were women Captains, such as Laskarina Bouboulina of Spetses, Domna Vizvizi of Thrace and Manto Mavrogenous of Mykonos.

Last but not least, the decisive battle that resulted in the foundation of the first Modern Greek state was also given at sea. In October of 1827 the united naval forces of the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of France and the Russian Empire under Edward Codrington, Henri De Rigny and Lodewjik Heiden respectively, destroyed the united Ottoman-Egyptian naval forces in Navarino, in south west coast of Peloponnese.

Eighty-five years later, the Balkan Wars broke out and Greece was able to participate thanks to its Navy. In the course of merely 10 months the Greek state increased its territory by 93%, including the largest part of Macedonia, South Epirus, the islands of the Eastern Aegean and a few months later the island of Crete.  The Hellenic Navy with the legendary battleship “AVEROF” liberated one by one the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Ikaria, Thasos, Samothrace and Limnos, putting an end to four-hundred years of foreign occupation.

In the mid 1940’s, after the end of World War II, the Merchant Sales Act of 1946 of the United States of America gave the opportunity to Greek shipowners to buy 98 Liberty vessels, reclaiming the Lend-Lease Agreement.  A new age was about to begin. During the next few years, Greek Shipping would flourish, becoming the leading power internationally.

Starting mainly with bulk carriers and cargo vessels in the 1950s, Greek Shipowners increased significantly their activities during the 1960’s, with Piraeus becoming an international maritime hub and Skaramangas shipyards being the beating heart of shipbuilding in Greece. And we are all very proud that after all those decades, Skaramagkas is being led into a new and promising era.

It was in the 1970s when the Greek fleet reached the top of International Shipping, despite the oil crisis. After the challenging decade that followed, Greek Shipping came out stronger than before. Greek shipowners started investing more and more in tankers and container vessels, creating a strong and diverse fleet that retains its leading place internationally.

Today, the 5.514 ships of the Greek shipowners represent 21% of the global fleet in terms of capacity. With extended presence in all the segments, Greek shipowners have grown to be the leading power in LNG carriers. Needless to say that Greek Shipping is the backbone of European Shipping, standing for almost 60% of the EU-controlled fleet.

Greek Shipowners do not only continue the maritime tradition of our nation, but also they are active patrons of education, health, culture and the arts.  Sometimes in the spotlight and many other behind the scenes, they undertake initiatives that have immense benefit in people’s everyday life. Here we can see some of the numerous examples of the footprint of the Shipping Community in the Greek society.

The 21^st century brings about new challenges and opportunities and Greek shipowners will be – without any doubt – in the forefront of the latest developments, and there is a very good reason for that.

In the course of the past 35 hundred years, the people of this nation have lived glorious victories and devastating defeats, wars and revolutions, periods of intellectual triumphs and others of deep spiritual darkness. The one thing that remains intact 35 centuries now is the unique and unbreakable bond between…the Greeks and the Sea.

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* Presentation delivered by Eleni Letoni at the 23^rd Hellenic & Black Sera (HBS) Committee of Bureau Veritas that took place on September 30^th 2022 at Grand Resort Lagonissi.-

**Eleni Letoni: Communications, Sales & Marketing Coordinator, Greece, Cyprus & Malta; Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Officer South East Europe, Black Sea & Adriatic (SEEBA) Zone, Bureau Veritas Hellas