What an Anniversary that was for The Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee’s 90th years since its founding in the British capital with a well attended reception in one of the most iconic venues in the United Kingdom, The Goldsmith’s Hall last night the 12 November 2025.
Once again a great, timely and to the point speech by GSCC’s Chairman Haralambos J. Fafalios, which viewers can read in full here below.
Over 100 Guests attended this milestone anniversary, amongst them Lords, Ambassadors, many senior representatives of GSCC member offices, esteemed Greek shipowners, senior representatives of the IMO, P&I Clubs, War Risk Insurance Clubs, Classification societies, IACS, The Baltic Exchange, Intercargo and Maritime London, among others.
In addition, the representative of the Greek Minister of Shipping and Insular Policy and the Commandant of the Hellenic Coast Guard Capt. (HCG) Antonios Doumanis attended the reception, and delivered a speech offering also a coat of arms of the Commandant of the HCG to GSCC’s Chairman Haralambos J. Fafalios (see picture above).
Chairman’s Speech
Your Excellencies, Lords, Ladies & Gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee.
In fact, the Committee’s original name was the “Greek Shipping Stabilisation Committee,” which was formed in 1935, in order to bring some stability to the precarious post-Depression shipping freight markets.
Under the leadership of Pericles Dracoulis, ably assisted by Angelos Lusis, the G.S.C.C. held its first meeting in the offices of G. Hadjilias.
Following on from there, the G.S.C.C. became the main conduit between the Greek Government and the Ministry of War Transport in 1941. It co-ordinated all matters relating to the Greek Merchant Fleet and its crucial role in the Wartime Convoy System, which kept the U.K. and other allied countries supplied with all the essential commodities.
During the immediate Post-War years, when Greece was suffering the effects of a catastrophic civil war, it was the G.S.C.C. that prominently dealt with most major maritime issues.
One of its most illustrious members, Manuel Kulukundis, based in New York at the time, proposed and was instrumental in negotiating and concluding the famous 100 Liberty Ship purchase programme, which kick-started the re-birth of the Greek Merchant Fleet after the ravaging it took in the Second World War.
Moving onwards, the formation in 1957 of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), now (since 1982) the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the creation of the Hellenic War Risk Association in 1960, the commencement of the Posidonia Shipping Exhibitions in 1969 were some of the many events in which the G.S.C.C. participated and actively and enthusiastically supported.
One must say that over the last nine decades the G.S.C.C. has worked very closely and in parallel with the Union of Greek Shipowners in Greece and the two associations have worked together harmoniously to face all the major maritime, environmental and economic issues facing the Greek Shipping industry.
The G.S.C.C’s position in London, one of the world’s leading maritime centres, has meant that it has been able to foster very close relationships with all the organisations that are based here, including The Baltic Exchange, Lloyd’s of London, Lloyd’s Register, the P & I Clubs, the International Chamber of Shipping, Intercargo, Intertanko, I.M.O. never forgetting the major Shipbrokers, Lawyers, Bankers and Accounting Firms.
The fact that our council members have included an emeritus I.M.O. Secretary General, a former I.C.S. Chairman, several P&I Club Chairmen and Directors, Baltic Directors, ex International Salvage Union Chairman, Classification Society Committee Chairmen, attests to the dedication we have for every sector of our industry and the high esteem in which the G.S.C.C. and its members are held by all the major maritime institutions in the City of London and beyond.
The G.S.C.C. is also a firm supporter of the Greek Flag, Greek Crew, the Hellenic Coast Guard and a training environment in Greece that will continue to educate new generations of Greeks who will serve both at sea and ashore.
For without Greek Seafarers, the miracle that is Greek Shipping would not be what it is today.
The challenges we face going forward, be they national or international will always be met by the dedication of our organisation, working with the U.G.S. closely in order to find a practical solution to each problem.
Whilst world Shipping must react and be proactive to global events, we think that there should be one authority only, the I.M.O., which should be the primary regulator of our industry on a worldwide basis and should be responsible for the formulation of all international maritime legislation.
With reference to the most important issue of today, the decarbonization problem, the solutions are not yet there and we must create workable ideas going forward with actual green fuels as opposed to half baked, half way options that do not work and simply sap our conscience.
In the light of the Ballast Water Treatment System disappointment, the I.M.O. should work more closely with the industry in order to create coherent and sustainable regulations. The Net Zero Framework is just another such example requiring the input of the shipping industry and not determined by the politicians alone.
Crucially, the MEPC directorate and delegates of the IMO must yet again regain their Maritime expertise in order to better understand shipping and to create more effective and practical regulations.
I would like to thank all our member companies, past and present, for their unstinting support for the G.S.C.C. over the past nine decades.
Very importantly, I thank all of our friends and colleagues in London who have worked with us over many years and have helped us to represent the Greek shipping industry on all national and international issues.
I also want to express my gratitude to our council members, past and present, who have worked tirelessly and selflessly in order to achieve our goals.
Finally, I would like to thank our excellent secretariat, past and present, which, with limited resources, has administered the affairs of the G.S.C.C. so capably and smoothly over the decades and who have always shown such dedication.
Let me now ask you, in concluding, to raise your glasses and let us all together wish the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee a further 90 years of steadfast and resolute service to shipping.
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