Konstantakopoulos, Vafias, Pittas and Aponte win awards at dinner event held in Athens

Seanergy Maritime, Arcadia Shipmanagement, Alpha Lines, Hellaschart and National Bank of Greece among companies honoured

Costamare chairman and chief executive Konstantinos V. Konstantakopoulos was named Greek Shipping Personality of the Year for 2021 as the Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards made a return as an in-person dinner event after the 2020 Awards was held successfully as a ‘virtual’ event online.

Nicholas H. Vafias was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award while other major individual awards went to shipowners Gianluigi Aponte and Aristides Pittas, and to Amalia Miliou-Theocharaki.

An audience of 700 Greek and international shipping personalities gathered at the Athenaeum InterContinental hotel for the event, the limit allowed as one of numerous precautions taken by the organisers with public health and safety in mind.

In a welcome address, Minister of Shipping & Island Policy Ioannis Plakiotakis offered his congratulations to the nominees as well as the winners of the 2021 Awards.

In a welcome address, Minister of Shipping & Island Policy Ioannis Plakiotakis offered his congratulations to the nominees as well as the winners of the 2021 Awards.

“Recognizing values ​​such as quality, entrepreneurship, innovation, [the Awards] promote Greece, the largest shipping power in the world and establish it as the pre-eminent international shipping centre,” said Mr Plakiotakis.

The minister added: “I can only express my happiness and satisfaction at the fact that one of the most important shipping events returns to normal conditions after almost two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Organised by Lloyd’s List, the international maritime information provider that was established as a newspaper in 1734, this year’s Greek Shipping Awards struck a balance between celebration of the industry’s achievements and reflection on the pain and challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Another theme of the evening that demanded reflection was the necessity of addressing the climate crisis – another huge issue in which the shipping industry is aligned in its concern with the wider world.

ClassNK, a longtime supporter of the event, was once again overall lead sponsor of the Greek Shipping Awards.

Guests enjoyed a pre-dinner drinks reception hosted by Erma First while China Classification Society offered the traditional champagne toast to the health of Greek shipping.

Hellenic Chamber of Shipping chairman George D. Pateras kindly presented a donation on behalf of the event organisers to ‘Argo’, the charity supporting children with disabilities in the families of Greek seafarers.

Hellenic Chamber of Shipping chairman George D. Pateras kindly presented a donation on behalf of the event organisers to ‘Argo’, the charity supporting children with disabilities in the families of Greek seafarers.

The annual awards recognise achievement and meritorious activity in the Greek shipping industry and promote Greece as a maritime centre. Winners are chosen by an independent panel of judges representing a broad cross-section of the Greek shipping industry.

The annual awards recognise achievement and meritorious activity in the Greek shipping industry and promote Greece as a maritime centre. Winners are chosen by an independent panel of judges representing a broad cross-section of the Greek shipping industry.

The 2021 Greek Shipping Awards event was co-hosted by award-winning ERT broadcaster Andriana Paraskevopoulou together with Lloyd’s List correspondent in Greece Nigel Lowry.

The Winners

Konstantinos V. Konstantakopoulos was voted 2021 Greek Shipping Personality of the Year.

Greek Shipping Newsmaker of the Year – Aristides J Pittas accepted the Award from George Prassinos of ExxonMobil Marine

Lloyd’s List’s Greek Shipping Newsmaker of the Year Award went to Aristides J. Pittas of Euroseas and EuroDry, the US-listed containership and dry bulk shipping companies.

Lifetime Achievement Award – Shipping Deputy Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, Vassilios Demetriades, presented the Award to Ninetta Vafias who accepted on behalf of Nicholas H. Vafias

Nicholas H. Vafias was awarded the Lloyd’s List / Propeller Club Lifetime Achievement Award for a highly successful career in shipping that began nearly 50 years ago.

Next Generation Shipping Award – Amalia Miliou-Theocharaki accepted the Award from Theo Xenakoudis of IRI / The Marshall Islands Registry

Amalia Miliou-Theocharaki won the New Generation Shipping Award, open to personalities of no more than 40 years of age.

International Personality of the Year – Niki Kalogiratos of Capital Shipmanagement Corp. presented the Award to Christina Theodorika of MSC Greece who accepted on behalf of Gianluigi Aponte

Industry giant Gianluigi Aponte, founder of leading liner company Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and MSC Cruises, was elected International Personality of the Year, the only Award open exclusively to non-Greeks.

Dry Cargo Company of the Year – Stamatios Tsantanis of Seanergy Maritime received the Award from Matthew More of Marichem Marigases

 The recipient of the Dry Cargo Company of the Year Award for 2021 was Seanergy Maritime, the Nasdaq-listed capesize bulker owner.

Tanker Company of the Year – Paillette Palaiologou of Bureau Veritas presented the Award to George Angelopoulos of Arcadia Shipmanagement Co.

As Tanker Company of the Year the panel chose Arcadia Shipmanagement, a second win for the company in this category.

Passenger Line of the Year – Baochun Wang of CCS presented the Award, on behalf of SWS, to Vasileios Agapitos of Alpha Lines

The judges chose Alpha Lines as Passenger Line of the Year.

Shipbroker of the Year – Venetia Kallipolitou presented the Award on behalf of The Tsakos Group to Liona Bachas of Hellaschart Ltd.

Hellaschart Ltd won the Shipbroker of the Year Award.

Shipping Financier of the Year – Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou of Tototheo Maritime presented the Award to Theofanis Moustakatos of National Bank of Greece

The Greek Shipping Financier of the Year Award went to National Bank of Greece.

Technical Achievement Award – George Teriakidis of DNV presented the Award to Panos Zachariadis

Panos Zachariadis, technical director of Atlantic Bulk Carriers, was awarded the Technical Achievement Award.

The Safety Award – Jerry Kalogiratos of Capital Product Partners accepted the Award for Capital Shipmanagement Corp. from Ioannis Giannakopoulos of Seajets

Capital Ship Management won The Safety Award.

The Sustainability Award – Mark Darley of Lloyd’s Register presented the Award to Semiramis Paliou for Helmepa

The Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (Helmepa) won The Sustainability Award.

Piraeus International Centre Award – Janet Wood presented the Award to Costis J. Frangoulis of Franman

Franman was recipient of this year’s prestigious Piraeus International Centre Award.

Seafarer of the Year – Capt. Michail Makris accepted the Award from Dr. Loukas Barmparis of Safe Bulkers, Inc.

The Seafarer of the Year Award was won by Capt. Michail Makris, Master of the Seajets catamaran ‘Sea Jet 2’, for rescuing 18 passengers from the Aegean Sea after their yacht sank in August 2021.

Achievement in Education or Training – Ilias Bissias of Isalos.net accepted the Award from Eng. Rafael Cigarruista of Panama Maritime Authority

Isalos.net was winner of the 2021 Education or Training Award.

Ship of the Year – Ezekiel (Zeke) Davis of ABS presented the Award to Tony Lauritzen of Dynagas, owners of “Transgas Power”

The Ship of the Year Award went to “Transgas Power”, a floating storage and regasification unit delivered to Dynagas this year. The vessel is the first FSRU ever built in China.

Big Data Award – Byron Antoniades of Seafair accepted the Award from Nigel Lowry who presented on behalf of John Michael Radziwill of C Transport Maritime

The Lloyd’s List Intelligence Big Data Award was presented to Seafair.