Some of the most prestigious and successful names in Greek shipping walked off with major awards at the 21st Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards on the evening of Friday, December 6 – coincidentally St Nicholas’ Day, commemorating the patron saint of seafaring.
Dry bulk carrier owner and operator DryDel Shipping (formerly Meadway Shipping & Trading) was named Dry Cargo Company of the Year while Evangelos Marinakis’ Capital Group scooped the Tanker Company of the Year Award, primarily for its extraordinary investments in an ‘energy-transition’ fleet of gas carriers but also an ambitious construction programme for dual-fuel tankers.
Angelicoussis Group won The Sustainability Award in recognition not only of its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint through building vessels of the latest technology, but also for its gender diversity, education and personnel welfare policies. Star Bulk Carriers won the inaugural Deal of the Year Award for its merger with Eagle Bulk Shipping. The addition of the new ‘Deal of the Year’ has brought the number of competitive award categories to 19.
Personalities winning individual awards were led by Womens’ International Shipping & Trading Association President Elpi Petraki. She was named ‘Greek Shipping Personality of the Year’ for 2024, shortly after accepting the International Personality of the Year Award on behalf of its winner, International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez. Mr Dominguez was unable to attend in person due to a busy week for the IMO in London that centred on the organisation’s Maritime Safety Committee meeting.
Themistocles Vokos, the Chairman of Posidonia Exhibitions and founder of the Seatrade Organisation, was recognised for a remarkable career with the Lloyd’s List / Propeller Club Lifetime Achievement Award.
Goldenport Group Chief Executive John Dragnis was unveiled as ‘Newsmaker of the Year’ after a period of making headlines across the tanker, dry bulk, offshore support vessel, FSRU and superyacht construction sectors. Sifis Vardinoyannis, director of bunkering company Sekavin, won the Next Generation Shipping Award.
With live music from the aptly-named Prestige Band, a popular Athens-based band that expanded for the evening into a six-piece with the addition of bass and saxophone, the event entertained an international audience of about 1,100 guests. But – as it has done throughout its two decades of history – the world’s biggest shipping awards event proved to be a platform that reflected and engaged with serious and urgent issues, too.
Accomplished young sailor Amalia Provelengiou won a special Woman of the Sea Award. As stated in the citation for the award, courage and determination are traditionally characteristics of a good sailor but Ms Provelengiou also exemplified these qualities in successfully bringing Greece’s first “MeToo” case against the sailing coach who had abused her. The Award was an expression of solidarity from Greece’s shipping industry at a time when many Greek shipping companies are attracting more women officers and more women are eyeing a maritime career. Ms Provelengiou’s story provides the basis of a brand new documentary film, ‘Tack’, directed by Vania Turner and produced by Onassis Culture. The ‘Person of the Sea Award’ is a rarely-given special award that is then personalised as either ‘Man of the Sea’ or ‘Woman of the Sea’ depending on the recipient.
The Safety Award went to EUNAVFOR Operation Aspides, the EU’s maritime security operation shielding shipping from attacks by the rebel Houthi faction in Yemen. The operation, which is of geopolitical as well as humanitarian importance, is under the leadership of Greece and headquartered in Larissa.
As ‘Ship of the Year’, the judging panel chose the FSRU “Alexandroupolis”, the converted LNG carrier that is at the heart of Gastrade’s LNG terminal in the northern Greek port of Alexandroupolis.
The Passenger Line of the Year Award was won by Variety Cruises, a Greece-based family-run boutique cruise operation that has celebrated its 75th year in 2024. In contrast to the megaships dominating today’s cruise industry, it offers life-enriching, human scale cruises that focus on respect and discovery of the cultures visited by their ships, providing travelers with authentic experiences that reflect cultural and ecological sustainability and inclusiveness, leaving a minimal footprint behind.
A highlight of the awards ceremony was the presentation of the Award for Achievement in Education or Training to the Tsakos Merchant Marine Academy, recently opened in Chios under the auspices of the Maria Tsakos Public Benefit Foundation – International Centre for Maritime Research and Tradition. The award was accepted personally by Captain Panagiotis Tsakos whose vision and determination was fulfilled by establishing what is the first non-state and non-profit academy in Greece.
Several other important awards recognised excellence and value in Greece’s maritime cluster. Neptune Maritime Leasing was voted ‘Shipping Financier of the Year’, while dry bulk chartering specialist Diamond Shipbroking was named ‘Shipbroker of the Year’.
YES Forum, a platform for connecting high-school and university students with the shipping and sea tourism industries, won the Piraeus International Centre Award. The Marine Technical Managers Association, better known as Martecma, was presented with the Technical Achievement Award. The Lloyd’s List Intelligence Big Data Award was won by Harbor Lab.
Captain Michalis Lignos and Captain Stamatis Kalfamanolis, master and reserve master of Blue Star Ferries’ ro-ro passenger ferry Blue Star Paros, were honoured as Seafarer of the Year for outstanding conduct on the night of September 18 this year in rescuing six passengers from a speedboat taking on water off the island of Paros. The rescue was completed just seconds before the small craft sank.
In a welcome address, the Minister of Shipping & Island Policy Christos Stylianides offered his congratulations to the nominees as well as the winners of the 2024 Awards. “The Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards are a leading institution that recognises and rewards the excellence, innovation and contribution of all those who have made Greek shipping a world-leader,” he said.
Neptune Maritime Leasing was the overall lead sponsor of the Greek Shipping Awards once again.
Guests enjoyed a pre-dinner drinks reception hosted by Allegiant (Shipping) while CMB Financial Leasing offered the traditional champagne toast to the health of Greek shipping.
A donation from proceeds of the event went to ‘Argo’, the charity supporting children with disabilities in the families of Greek seafarers. The donation was kindly presented to Argo by Ilias Bolis, director at Allied Shipbroking, which also sponsored the Gallery of Winners, an entrance chamber chronicling past honorees of the event launched in 2004.
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 Greek Shipping Awards thanked all the Greek and international sponsors of the prestigious event, many of which have loyally supported the Awards for many years. This year saw the IRI / The Marshall Islands Registry complete 10 years of support for the event, a milestone recognised in the form of an honorary statuette presented to the sponsor.
The Winners
Dry Cargo Company of the Year
DryDel Shipping
DryDel Shipping, is an owner and operator of dry bulk vessels that has rebranded this year. It was previously Meadway Shipping & Trading.
It is already staking a claim to be a leading company in the sector with an all Japanese-built fleet, including four new ultramaxes delivered in 2024 and 10 more newbuildings ordered with Japanese builders, including its first capesizes.
In addition to its modern owned fleet, DryDel is increasing its chartered-in fleet from Japanese owners from 18 to a target number of 30. In 2024 it also opened a new office in Brazil to support commercial growth.
Tanker Company of the Year
Capital Group
Capital Group has gone beyond any other tanker and gas carrier owner in Greece in its ambitious investment in the energy transition.
It has invested not only in dual-fuel Ammonia vessels and dual-fuel LNG vessels but also large liquefied CO2 carriers, a world first. The group’s recently rebranded public arm, Capital Clean Energy Carriers, has 12 modern LNG carriers and on order it has six more LNG carriers, six midsize gas carriers, plus four handysize multi-gas ships able to carry clean ammonia and liquid CO2.
The shipowner’s commitment to modern ships and ability to find profitable sale and purchase deals advancing the group’s strategy are exceptional and are also evident in its oil tanker fleet with 14 new LNG dual-fuel VLCCs, suezmaxes and long-range product tankers on the way.
Capital was one of five founding shipowner members of LR’s new Maritime Emissions Reduction Centre in Athens, established in 2024.
Passenger Line of the Year
Variety Cruises
Variety Cruises is a boutique cruise line that offer life-enriching, human scale cruises that focus on respect and discovery of the cultures visited by their ships. From Greece to West Africa, from Egypt to French Polynesia and beyond, it offers travellers authentic experiences that reflect cultural and ecological sustainability and inclusiveness, leaving a minimal footprint behind.
Remarkably, this Greek family-controlled enterprise is now in its 75th year – a milestone the Panel of Judges felt well worth celebrating.
Shipbroker of the Year
Diamond Shipbroking
Established in 2005, Diamond Shipbroking has had a landmark year.
Highlights included strengthening its team with experienced brokers previously with Braemar and moving into new headquarters.
The company has earned a reputation for expertise in the chartering of large dry bulk vessels and this year it has achieved the highest number of capesize and panamax fixtures and highest revenues in its history.
The judging panel was impressed by Diamond’s professionalism, evident in a number of benchmark capesize charters.
It also fixed the highest number of Greek vessels for Trafigura iron ore shipments from Brazil to China, and was the only Greek company among a panel of five brokers appointed by a major Greek owner re-entering the capesize sector.
Shipping Financier of the Year
Neptune Maritime Leasing
The Panel of Judges overwhelmingly chose Neptune Maritime Leasing as the Financier of the Year.
Neptune is a growing shipping leasing platform, majority-owned by Costamare, and has emerged as a Greece-linked alternative for leasing finance. It has become a leader in sustainable finance and financing that is actively engaged with environmental, social and governance issues.
It seeks to finance projects that protect the environment and help shipowners, including small and medium-sized companies, achieve their growth plans.
This year, Neptune expanded in Asia and doubled its portfolio. Since inception it has financed around 40 vessels with about $550 million of lease finance.
Technical Achievement Award
Martecma
The Marine Technical Managers Association, that everyone knows as Martecma, was established 21 years ago by a small group of Technical Managers and shipping company executives as a forum to discuss issues they faced in managing their fleets, including new regulations and new technologies.
It has now grown to 180 technical executives and about 60 associate members, representing manufacturers, shipyards, classification societies, education institutes and other associations.
During the last two years meetings addressed 75 different topics. Just a few examples of recent activities: Remote Surveys policy, Bunker Quality and related claims, Bans on Russian engineers from some manufacturers’ training, Application of EEXI regulations, Australian PSC interpretations on the Sensors of Oil Water Separators, and many others.
Martecma has become an indispensable forum and a key competitive advantage for Greek shipping.
Lloyd’s List Intelligence Big Data Award
Harbor Lab
This Award was adjudicated by a team of experts at Lloyd’s List Intelligence and here are some of their main comments about the winner, Harbor Lab:
- The company could demonstrate clear success metrics, a strong customer base in and outside of Greece, and a market solution that benefits the shipping sector.
- They provide an end-to-end solution for managing port expenses, ensuring quick and precise estimates, and reliable validation of actual costs. This system facilitates swift payments and expedites the claims process, for 4,000 ports and for over 31,000 port calls.
- They could demonstrate how this leads to significant cost and time savings, and their use of big data and automation to achieve this.
The experts also liked that Harbor Lab provides value across the supplier and buyer divide, in other words, for both agents and shipowners, rather than only supporting one side.
Piraeus International Centre Award
YES Forum
YES Forum is a platform for dialogue between the Greek shipping and sea tourism industries and on the other hand school and university students.
It has been highly active with mentorship programmes, open days, networking events and other initiatives to connect young talent with industry experts and foster the next generation of shipping professionals.
It has been an especially active year and it saw publication of a book by Danae Bezantakou aimed at promoting understanding of shipping in children of eight years and older.
The Safety Award
EUNAVFOR Operation Aspides
EUNAVFOR Operation Aspides is the European Union’s defensive maritime security operation that was launched in February 2024 in response to attacks against innocent shipping by the rebel Houthis faction in Yemen.
The operation is under the leadership of Greece and headquartered in Larissa.
The humanitarian and geopolitical importance of the operation cannot be overstated. As well as threatening ships, the Houthis are jeopardising international trade and putting regional peace and security at stake.
Before the crisis, 13% of world trade went through the Red Sea but the attacks have cut this in half. More than 100 vessels have been attacked, at least two of them sunk and four seafarers have been killed.
Despite this, Operation Aspides has safely escorted hundreds of vessels transiting the region and has successfully repelled a large number of the attacks.
The panel unanimously recognised EUNAVFOR Aspides with this year’s Safety Award for its commitment to the safety of Greek and other ships transiting the Red Sea, and to the principle of navigational freedom.
International Personality of the Year
Arsenio Dominguez
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has exceeded expectations since taking office at the start of 2024.
Although an IMO “insider” after serving as director for environment, he has been a breath of fresh air, bringing new energy, optimism and public engagement to the SG’s role, buoying up faith in the IMO’s ability to deliver, especially on decarbonisation.
Mr Dominguez engages warmly with the industry. He urges greater action from shipping companies but from other stakeholders, too.
His belief is that governments alone cannot solve all the challenges. Safety and seafarer welfare concerns are high on his agenda and Mr Dominguez is a champion of greater diversity in the maritime sector.
Achievement in Education or Training
Tsakos Merchant Marine Academy
In September, the Tsakos Group inaugurated the first non-state and non-profit Tsakos Merchant Marine Academy in Greece, aiming to prepare the next generation of young professionals aspiring to become competent, qualified and well-trained deck and engine officers.
Under the auspices of the “Maria Tsakos” Public Benefit Foundation – International Centre for Maritime Research and Tradition, the academy is the first Non-State and Non-Profit Merchant Marine Academy in Greece, is Capt. Panagiotis Tsakos’s third educational venture in his homeland of Chios. It is preceded by Maria’s Home, established in Kardamyla in 2013, and the Tsakos Enhanced Education Nautical School (TEENS), founded in the capital of Chios in 2018.
The Tsakos Merchant Marine Academy started with a flood of applications from candidates all over Greece. It is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art training and educational aids, including advanced simulators, to offer the highest standard of maritime education.
The academy has been certified by the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Shipping.
Seafarer of the Year
Capt. Stamatis Kalfamanolis
Capt. Michael Lignos
Our Seafarer of the Year Award is based on nominations from the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) and this year went to two ferry masters.
Captain Michalis Lignos was in command of Blue Star Paros, and Captain Stamatis Kalfamanolis was reserve Master, on the night of September 18 when the ministry’s rescue coordination centre broadcast an SOS from an 8-metre speedboat in trouble, taking on water, about 3.5 miles off Paros. It was after 10.30 in the evening, with winds blowing up to 6 on the Beaufort scale.
First, the small vessel had to be located in darkness and Blue Star Paros was first on the scene. Capt Lignos positioned stopped the ferry and positioned her to shield the vessel from the worst of the wind, but the vessel, which still had engine power inexplicably shifted to the exposed side of the ferry.
Capt Lignos was forced to use the bow thruster to shift position again. The end result was that about midnight the six passengers were taken on board Blue Star Paros, but seconds later their boat sank beneath the waves.
If Captain Lignos had not acted as quickly and as skillfully as he did, the result would have been very different. All those rescued were safely disembarked in Naxos.
Captain Stamatis could not attend tonight as he is onboard. He has served as a Master for Attica for the last five years.
Captain Michalis has served for 22 years as a Master in the Aegean and the Ionian seas.
Ship of the Year
FSRU “Alexandroupolis”
Our judges chose a ‘Ship of the Year’ for 2024 that is more than just a vessel.
The floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) “Alexandroupolis” is the heart of a flagship national and regional project.
As a new entry-point for natural gas, the vessel has been permanently moored in Alexandroupolis, enhancing energy security and fostering regional cooperation.
The commencement of operations on October 1 is a tribute to the vision and perseverence of the founding Copelouzos family who launched this effort 15 years ago. Today other shareholders include Depa Commercial, Bulgartransgaz, Desfa and Peter Livanos-backed GasLog.
The vessel provided for the FSRU was GasLog’s 155,000 cubic metre LNG carrier GasLog Chelsea that underwent a major, sophisticated conversion at the Seatrium shipyard in Singapore.
The “Alexandroupolis” is connected to the shore by a 28 km pipeline and has an overall delivery capacity of about 5.5 billion cbm of gas per year.
The Sustainability Award
Angelicoussis Group
The Angelicoussis Group has long been a leader in shipping, embracing innovation and excellence. Today it is also a leader in sustainability, prioritising crew welfare and energy optimisation.
Decarbonisation and energy efficiency are top priorities across the group’s sectors of operation – in dry bulk with Maran Dry, tankers with Maran Tankers and LNG shipping with Maran Gas Maritime. This is reflected in the ships that the group has been building, including the first LNG dual-fuel dry bulk vessels in the Greek fleet, the first dual-fuel VLCCs, to be followed by dual-fuel suezmaxes, and new LNG carriers with the lowest possible environmental footprint.
But this is the tip of the iceberg. The group uses cutting edge technology to optimise energy consumption, it’s exploring methane abatement technologies, it has a strong commitment to gender diversity including a significant number of women officers and cadets, and to the personal wellbeing of all staff, reflected in one of the industry’s highest retention rates.
Special Presentation: Woman of the Sea
Amalia Provelengiou
The Person of the Sea Award is a special, honorary award, that is presented from time to time and only when there is an outstanding candidate. It is personalised as ‘Man of the Sea’ / ‘Woman of the Sea’, depending on the recipient. The Award, which is rarely given, recognises exceptional conduct or achievement. The recipients or the achievements are related to the sea, whether or not the person is connected to the professional shipping industry.
An enthusiastic and skilled sailor, Amalia Provelengiou is undoubtedly ‘A Woman of the Sea’.
In a better world, we would only be celebrating her for her achievements on the water. However, she has also had to draw on her courage and strength in other, completely unwanted ways. A film entitled ‘Tack’, directed by Vania Turner and produced by Onassis Culture, documents the case brought by Ms Provelengiou against her sailing coach who abused her over a long period.
It was effectively Greece’s first “Me Too” trial. The case strongly resembled that of Sofia Bekatorou, Greece’s Olympic sailing champion in 2004, who sparked the “MeToo” movement in Greece by speaking out.
This ‘Woman of the Sea’ Award represents a mark of recognition, esteem and solidarity for Ms Provelengiou’s remarkable courage and determination – on the water and ashore.
It also represents an opportunity for Greece’s shipping industry and seafaring profession, that are united with you by the sea, to become more familiar with Ms Provelengiou’s and Ms Bekatorou’s story – and to express its solidarity with them.
This is a time when many Greek shipping companies are attracting more women as officers aboard their ships and more women are becoming interested in a career at sea. These stories and the courage demonstrated are timely reminders to all of the importance of taking every possible step to keep the workplace safe for seagoing women and of the personal strength required to stand up when systems and norms fail them.
Deal of the Year
Star Bulk Carriers
In December 2023 Star Bulk Carriers and Eagle Bulk Shipping agreed on an all-stock merger, creating a shipping powerhouse with a market capitalisation of $2.1 billion and a fleet of 169 vessels, all equipped with scrubbers.
Analysts welcomed the deal. It was the biggest acquisition by a Greek owner, one of the largest mergers worldwide and the Panel of Judges had little doubt in naming it Deal of the Year.
Without spending cash, the deal offered a legion of benefits to Star Bulk – strengthening its presence in the smaller geared bulker segment, enhancing the liquidity and attractiveness of its stock, giving it greater scale and hence flexibility to dispose of older vessels, reducing its financing costs and producing estimated cost savings and synergies of $50 million a year.
Next Generation Shipping Award
Sifis Vardinoyannis
The Next Generation Shipping Award is strictly for younger shipping personalities under 40 years of age.
Sifis Vardinoyannis graduated from Boston University with a BA in Biology and Genetics and from Johns Hopkins University with a MS in Biotechnology.
He currently serves as Executive Director of SEKAVIN, a leading physical supplier and trader of marine fuels and lubricants in Greece and globally. He is widely seen as a dynamic leader know for his high work ethic, and for embracing digitalisation, cleaner fuels and renewables, technological advances and transparency.
He is widely involved in the industry, serving on the boards of the Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association.
Lloyd’s List/Propeller Club
Lifetime Achievement Award
Themistocles Vokos
Themistocles Vokos is the first Lifetime Achievement Award honoree who started his career as a journalist – for the weekly Naftiliaki and as a correspondent for several foreign publications, including Lloyd’s List.
He is also the patron saint of shipping awards organisers, having launched the Seatrade Awards in London as far back as 1989.
Mr Vokos is best known to most of us as a founder and long-serving Chairman of Posidonia, the exhibition every two years that has done so much to promote Greece as an international maritime centre.
Beside establishing the Seatrade Organisation in the UK, he was instrumental in the creation of numerous major events around the world, spanning various sectors.
In shipping, these included Riomar in Brazil, Marintec in Shanghai and the first Sea Japan exhibition in Yokohama.
During the 1980s, he pioneered relationships with China in media and communications, launching maritime, transport and medical magazines in partnership with the government. These initiatives were an early bridge between China and western markets.
Greek Shipping Newsmaker of the Year
John Dragnis
John Dragnis has led Goldenport Group since 2012 and has overseen expansion of the fleet to more than 50 vessels. This includes ultramax dry newbuildings this year and product tanker orders for LR2s and IMO2 MRs.
On the dry side Goldenport re-entered the capesize market with the acquisition of ‘Mineral Volos’, named after the family’s hometown.
Through establishment of the Dragnis Not For Profit Foundation and acquisition of the Bank of Greece building in Volos, Mr Dragnis and his family plan to support the local community via cultural events and student scholarships.
Goldenport is sponsoring the Volos FSRU project as a strategic entry point for LNG.
Most recently, Mr Dragnis led the Group into the offshore support vessel market, acquiring the Atlantic Navigation fleet in partnership with Maas Capital and Allianz Marine Services.
Last but not least, he and brother Vassilis have expanded the family’s Golden Yachts business to three facilities for construction and maintenance of super-yachts.
Greek Shipping Personality of the Year
Elpi Petraki
When Elpi Petraki succeeded Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou as President of WISTA International, she had very big shoes to fill but has done so exceptionally.
Under her presidency, WISTA has grown hugely to today’s more than 5,200 members worldwide.
Recently, the association has added representation from China, Costa Rica and Honduras.
Just one of its important initiatives is the ongoing second IMO/WISTA survey of women in maritime.
Ms Petraki is not only WISTA President but Second Vice President of the Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association, and she has joined the board of the Hellenic Maritime Museum and the executive board of the World Maritime University
