Posidonia 2014

Aegean News
T H E
Q U A R T E R L Y
M A G A Z I N E
O F
A E G E A N
SUMMER 2014
Posidonia 2014
The Party
of Aegean
HEC
Hosts
the Annual
Euroshore
Conference
Aegean
GreenFleet
Update
Plus
Flows & Currents
Travel with Aegean
Posidonia
2014
The Global Shipping
Community in Athens
Επιστροφή
σε ευρώ με κάθε σας
συναλλαγή
Ενημερωθείτε αναλυτικά για το πρόγραμμα Επιστροφή στο
www.epistrofi-eurobank.gr.
editorial
Posidonia 2014, the premiere global shipping event
held in Athens, revealed the evolving dynamic between
government, the private sector, and advocacy organizations that we witness in today’s environment.
The global economy is changing—nowhere no more
evident than in shipping. Relationships are transforming.
New roles are emerging. Responsibilities are shifting.
In the past, governments were more comfortable as key decision makers
and implementers. Today, industry organizations have proven themselves to
be so competent that they complement governments, who now realize they
cannot “go it alone.” At the same time, the private sector, best represented by
shipowners, is stepping up to the plate and raising the bar to improve the marine industry.
Shipowners are concerned about safety and health. Concerned about the
Aegean
Core Activities
Retail
AEGEAN OIL has established a gas station
network throughout Greece, and is one of
the fastest growing companies in the retail
market. AEGEAN’S gasoline market share in
Greece is 8%.
Shipping
AEGEAN SHIPPING manages a fleet of tankers, ranging from 3,500DWT to 100,000
DWT, that transfers and delivers oil to our
clients throughout the world. All ships meet
ISM standards.
state of the seas and the environment. They are concerned about working
conditions and the satisfaction of crews. And they are making huge strides, as
exemplified by Aegean, in ensuring their vessels become greener every year.
Posidonia 2014 was a huge success, for governments who rely on the marine
industry, for organizations who strive to elevate the standards of the shipping
sector, and for the nearly 2000 companies—including Aegean and HEC—that
participated.
Aegean supports the evolution of shipping via healthy synergies that pursue
higher standards, a better environment, and more satisfied crews.
Such synergies are yet another example of win-win relationships that lift all
boats and power all sails.
Bunkering
In Piraeus, Patras, Gibraltar, Amsterdam-Roterdam-Antwerb, Fujarah, Jamaica, Singapore,
Trinidad & Tobago, Portland-Falmouth, Vancouver, Montreal, Mexico, Tanger Med (Morocco), Canary Islands, Panama, Barcelona,
Algeciras, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York,
Norfolk, and Charleston, AEGEAN MARINE
PETROLEUM is a leader in providing the best
bunkering services available. AEGEAN MARINE
PETROLEUM is the market leader in bunkering.
Agency Services
RAYMOND MATERA
Publisher
Ships from around the world rely on AEGEAN AGENCY services at Piraeus, Gibraltar,
Fujairah, and Jamaica, from loading and discharging, to spare parts and supplies.
Lubricants
AEGEAN OIL produces and markets high performance lubricants for vehicles and industrial use, under the AEGEAN brand. AEGEAN
MARINE PETROLEUM trades and supplies
lubricants for the marine market under the
ALFA brand.
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 1
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contents
9
Second place for the Acool Turabi, with
the power of Aegean and Lloyds
CODE: 5169
Summer 2014
Aegean News is published
quarterly by AEGEAN
PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR
Raymond Matera
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Alexandra Loli
10
Aegean News presents
a GreenFleet Update
4 AEGEAN UPDATE
PRINTING AND BINDING
Korifi Publications SA
OWNER
Aegean
10 Akti Konydli
185 45, Piraeus, Greece
Tel: +30 210 458 6000
Fax: +30 210 458 6241
E-Mail: info@aegeanoil.gr
Websites: www.aegeanoil.gr,
www.ampni.com
Comments and suggestions
are welcome.
Aegean News is free of charge and
is available, subject to availability, to
any interested person or organization.
Please Recycle
Thousands of guests joined the Aegean
family for one the most popular
Posidonia parties
20
POSIDONIA
The Party of Aegean
9POSIDONIA CUP
Aegean and Lloyd’s at the Podium of the
Posidonia Yacht Race
24
STATIONS OF THE MONTH
• Panagiotis Hitas, Nea Peramos
• Archonti Kotaidou, Aridea
10SHIPPING
GreenFleet Update
DESIGN
Snack
20
12HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL
CENTER
26
MARITIME TRADITION
The Aegean Sea and the Origins of Shipping –
Chapter V: The Navy of the Newly Independent
Greece and the Balkan Wars
The Latest News of HEC
27
TRAVEL WITH ΑEGEAN
14FLOWS AND CURRENTS
Thassos
Trends and News in the Oil and Energy Fields
28
CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT
16
POSIDONIA
The Global Shipping Community in Athens
18
POSIDONIA
Aegean at Posidonia 2014
Creatures of the Sea
Chapter II: Sharks
30
AEGEAN COLLECTION
Step Out in Style
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 3
A E G E A N
UPDA T E
World Fuel Oil
Summit VII
Yiannis Nikolaidis, Aegean IT Manager; Richard Sadler, Lloyd's Register CEO; Katerina Liana, EMBS Area Technical Manager;
Tom Boardley, Lloyd's Register Marine Director; George Melissanidis; Apostolos Poulovassilis, Regional Marine Manager
South Europe, Middle East and Africa, Lloyds; Georgia Panousi, HQSEE Coordinator; Ilias Syrros, HQSEE Manager / C.O.O.
Aegean is Awarded ISO22301
Business Continuity Certification
by LRQA
Aegean Shipping Management has become the first Greek shipping company and one of the
first companies worldwide to be awarded the ISO22301 Business Continuity certification
by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). ISO22301 is the international standard for
Business Continuity specifying the requirements for setting up and managing an effective
Business Continuity Management System (BCMS).
This recent certification is the fifth management system certification awarded to our company by LRQA, following the ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management, ISO14001:2004 for
Environmental Management, OHSAS 18001:2007 for Occupational Health & Safety Management System and ISO50001:2011 for Energy Management.
The certification ceremony was held during the Posidonia exhibition, at the Lloyd's Register
and Aegean's stands, on June 5, 2014. George Melissanidis received the certificate from
Lloyd's Register. At the presentation ceremony Mr. Melissanidis said: "Being the first Greek
shipping company to achieve Business Continuity ISO 22301 certification we confirm our
commitment for continuous improvement and enhancement of our customer satisfaction. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank Hellenic Lloyd's and LRQA for their support and
professional guidance not only during the recent certification process but throughout our
long-term relationship."
Apostolos Poulovassilis, Lloyd's Register Marine Regional Manager EMEA, said: "Aegean
Shipping Management S.A. joins the global elite of ISO22301 certified companies, and becomes the first Greek shipping company to receive such a recognition which is a very significant achievement in the highly competitive and international tanker industry.”
The World Fuel Oil Summit VII was
organized by Axelrod Energy Projects
on May 15-17, 2014. The summit
took place at the Westin Athens Astir
Palace hotel and examined trends and
opportunities, as well as the main
drivers in the global oil and gas markets. Aegean Marine Petroleum was a
corporate sponsor.
Among the topics covered were the
global oil and tanker markets, in a
presentation by Cargil, the US-based
agribusiness giant, a client of Aegean.
Also, Russia’s Rosneft gave a detailed
analysis of the Russian fuel oil flows.
Colossus Maersk Oil Trading presented the perspectives on bunker fuel
with the new regulations.
Aegean Marine Petroleum was
represented by Cargo Trading
as well as Bunker Sales, namely
Achilleas Tsioufis, Jean Jose Metey,
Kostantina Katri, Loukia Foka, Vassilis
Exarhopoulos, Panagiotis Kouvedakis,
and Anna-Maria Karakasi.
Logging On
Customers and associates
may log on at:
www.aegeanoil.com
Customers and associates of Aegean
Marine Petroleum may log on at:
www.ampni.com
4 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
Jean Jose Metey, Loukia Foka, Anna-Maria Karakasi,
Achilleas Tsioufis, Konstantina Katri
The “Memorial Senna” trophy
Panos Seitanidis and Ricardo Teixeira (Formula 1 driver)
Aegean Sponsors Tribute
to Ayrton Senna
On May 1, 1994, Ayrton Senna died in a crash at the Imola Circuit in Italy. This
year, on May 1, 2014, exactly 20 years following the death of Ayrton Senna, the
world paid tribute to the man many considered the greatest Formula 1 driver
ever. Roland Ratzenberger, who also died at the same track, was also remembered during the tribute.
As part of the celebrations honoring Senna and Ratzenberger during an entire
weekend at Imola, the “Memorial Senna,” a commemorative football match
between Nazionale Piloti (Formula 1 drivers) and Scuderia Ferrari Club. (SFC
won, 3-0) was held at the Romeo Galli Stadium.
Players for Nazionale Piloti included the same drivers who played with Ayrton
Senna in Pescara in 1992, including Ricardo Patrese, Andrea De Cesaris, and
Alessandro Nannini.
Aegean had the privilege of being the sponsor of the event, watched by Senna
fans from around the world and reported on by the global media. Leading personalities from the world of racing and football attended, including Fernando
Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Ivan Cappeli and Emmanuel Pirro.
The weekend events included a charity dinner, the naming of a square, the opening of a new museum and, to top off festivities, the “Memorial Senna” match.
Funds raised during the weekend were donated to the Instituto Ayrton Senna
in Brazil, an institute that helps underprivileged children and is run by Senna’s
sister, Viviane, an ardent supporter of the Imola events.
Viviane herself unveiled a new Azul Brazilian airplane designed as a commemorative craft, with the iconic color scheme of Senna’s helmet.
The tribute also included a emotional move by Brazilian team Corinthians
(of which Senna was a huge fan) when the Corinthian players walked onto
the pitch with replicas of Senna’s bright yellow trademark helmet ahead of its
match against National AM.
Aegean takes great pride in supporting this moving and important event. Following the crash, safety at Formula 1 races was improved dramatically and no
driver has lost his life during a grand prix race since. Aegean supports safe driving—on the racetrack and on the roadway—and understands that road safety is
vital to saving lives and preventing injuries.
Antonis Pavlakis, Aegean Human Resources
Manager, with the Petroleum Tournament cup
Petroleum
Tournament
2014
The petroleum tournament took place
on May 13 - 30, 2014 between several industry companies at the Philothei
tennis club. Aegean won in the following categories:
1. Ping Pong, 2nd place
D. Panagopoulos
2. Ping Pong, 3rd place
K. Gelos
3. Tennis, Men's Singles, 4th place
G. Ziglis
4. Tennis, Women’s singles 4th place
E. Panagopoulou
Aegean, Avin, BP, Chevron, Coral, Eko,
Greek Petroleum, Greek Fuels Elinoil,
Jetoil, Revoil, and Petrogaz took part
in the tournament.
We thank all our colleagues who participated in the tournament, worthily
representing our company. We congratulate them and wish that Aegean
always comes back a winner!
The Petroleum Tournament participants
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 5
A E G E A N
UPDA T E
Aegean Sponsors Monaco Charity
Football Match
On the eve of the Grand Prix Formula 1 season, Formula 1 personalities joined an impressive
roster of internationally known personalities, including Prince Albert II of Monaco, for a charity football match to support the "Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation."
Aegean was a sponsor of this important event. The match was played May 20, 2014 at the
Louis II Stadium and broadcast live on Sky Sports 1.
George Melissanidis said: “It is a great honor and privilege for Aegean to be part of this internationally recognized event. Aegean supports the goals of the Foundation. In addition, our
exclusive sponsorship of these Nazionale Piloti initiatives is directly aligned with our efforts
to encourage safe driving, an Aegean priority.” Mr. Melissanidis also expressed his thanks to
Nazionale Piloti President Mario Di Natale for his tremendous support during this partnership
of Aegean and Nazionale Piloti.
Participating, in addition to Prince Albert II, was the tennis player Novak Djokovic, Fernando
Alonso, Felipe Massa with his wife Raffaela Bassi, Daniil Kvyat, Sergio Perez and Jules Bianchi accompanied by his father Philippe Bianchi as represented in Formula One, the champion
of the Formula One Riccardo Patrese, centaurs Max Biaggi and Loris Capirossi,
The audience included many sport protagonists, such as the Ferrari driver Giancarlo Fisichella, Massimo Rivola, Emanuele Pirro, the DTM and former F1 driver Vitaly Petrov, Maro Engel,
Christian Montanari, the skier Kristian Ghedina, Sandro Cois, goalkeeper Matteo Munari
and GP2 Series drivers as Luca Filippi, Gianmarco Raimondo, Nathanael Berthon, Stephane
Richelmi, Kevin Ceccon, Stefano Coletti, Johnny Cecotto, Raffaele Marciello, Ricardo Teixeira,
and the pilot of the FIA European F3 Series Riccardo Agostini.
Voluntary Blood Drive at Aspropyrgos
A scheduled voluntary blood drive took place at Aegean facilities in Aspropyrgos on
June 17, 2014 to support the company’s blood bank. The increased needs of our
country in blood make each phial of blood valuable for a fellow human being. The
following Aegean employees voluntarily donated blood: Georgios Gakis, Charalampos
Giotis, Timotheos Dimisianos, Miltiadis Eleftherakos, Panagiotis Kalogeropoulos,
Panagiotis Kolympiris, Zafiris Kyrmpeis, Kyriakos Bountzikas, Angelos Nikas,
Paraskevas Paraskevas, Antonis Pavlakis, Dionysis Symeoforidis, Konstantinos
Floudopoulos, Konstantinos Skalas, Konstantinos Papadakis, and Vassilios Boustas.
Fernando Alonso, twice winner of the World Drivers'
Championship, with Prince Albert II of Monaco
Fernando Alonso holding a personal gift from George
Melissanidis, a Cross handcrafted by Russian Monks in a
monastery in Moscow, Κοstas Mastorakis and Mario di Natale
Felipe Massa (Williams Martini Racing Official Driver)
with Nazionale Piloti President, Mario di Natale,
and Kostas Mastorakis
An Equestrian Cretan
Visits Aegean
On May 12, 2014 Evangelos Grammatikakis, Aegean service station owner
in Crete (Kartero, Heraklion), visited the
headquarters of Aegean in Piraeus.
Apart from the service station, Mr. Grammatikakis owns the Equestrian Club of
Heraklion, where he breeds and trains
horses and teaches competitive and therapeutic horse-back riding (www.ippikos.gr).
George Melissanidis, Evangelos Grammatikakis, and
Iakovos Melissanidis
6 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
Aegean XII supplies the Regal Princess with fuel
Classic Cars of the Tour Amical Club on the streets of Greece
Aegean Sponsors Tour Amical Rally
The Belgian Classic Car Club Tour Amical
organized a race in Greece, which took place
on May 8-14, 2014. The Thessaloniki-Athens-Thessaloniki Tour Amical Rally was sponsored by Aegean.
The race started in Thessaloniki. The 172 cars
that participated, divided into four groups
(Red, Blue, Inter and GT), visited Delphi,
Olympia, Parga, Patra, the Athens Circuit at
Megara, where they did a few laps, and Volos,
as they made their way to Athens and then back to Thessaloniki. In Athens the
cars were parked in Panathinaikon Stadium and at Syntagma Square, whereas
in Thessaloniki they were displayed in front of the Macedonia Palace hotel. The
Tour Amical Rally gave car enthusiasts the rare opportunity to admire classic
cars such as, among others, a pre-war Bentley, Rolls Royce and Aston Martin,
Porsche, Chevrolet, MG, Austin Healey, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes SL, Corvette,
Stingray, Citroen, and Maserati.
The Belgian Classic Car Club Tour Amical organized an excellent event, as
they planned and anticipated every last detail so that there would be no inconvenience to public transport or the slightest impact on the environment. Our
colleague Tony Vertommen, head of Aegean in Antwerp, participated in the
race with a Mercedes 220.
Aegean News for iPad Wins Award
The iPad version of Aegean News was awarded Bronze for Best Tablet in Custom Publishing
category at the Digital Media Awards 2014 held in Athens on June 19. The evening was
abuzz with the media leaders in Greece who gathered to honor outstanding talent and
achievement in digital media. Aegean News for iPad was recognized for its excellence in
layout, multimedia features, and content in the custom media category. Raymond Matera,
publisher and editor of Aegean News, said, “it is a great honor for us to be recognized in
this challenging category. Aegean’s commitment to excellence in its corporate publication—
Aegean News—has enabled us to publish a magazine that is highly respected, not only in the
shipping and energy industry, but in the media world as well. Congratulations to all.”
Aegean
Delivers Fuel To
The World Largest
Cruise Ship
The world's largest and youngest
cruise ship, the Regal Princess
(Princess Cruises) sailed into the Port
of Piraeus this past May.
The Regal Princess set off on her
maiden voyage on May 20 from
Venice and is expected to tour the
Greek islands and the Mediterranean
through October 17, before heading
to Florida for her official naming in
November and then embarking on a
Caribbean cruise.
The 142,229 GT vessel has a capacity of 3,560 passengers and 1,346
crew, with amenities including 1,780
staterooms, 17 decks, 16 bars and
restaurants and a luxury spa.
Aegean supplied the cruise ship with
fuel at the port of Piraeus on May 27,
2014.
Aegean
New Employees
The following employees have joined the
Aegean work force.
AEGEAN SHIPPING MANAGEMENT
Nikolaos Fournaris
Maria Deligiorgi
AEGEAN BUNKERING SERVICES
Olga Koraki
AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM
Spyridon Vradis
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 7
A E G E A N
UPDA T E
Haris Sapountzakis, President of the Sparta of Asia
Minor Union and Dimitris Melissanidis
Yiannis Maniatis, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, and Apostolos Rizakos, CEO of Aegean Marine
Petroleum
Diamonds of the Greek Economy 2014
During the annual Diamonds of the Greek Economy event, which was organized in 2014
by Active Business Publishing at Radisson Blu Park Hotel Athens, the organizers, who had
evaluated 7,000 companies from the industry and commercial sectors, awarded the 283
healthier businesses.
The organizers honored Dimitris Melissanidis in a crowded room with over 450 people, including presidents, CEOs and senior executives of major Greek and multinational companies.
Apostolos Rizakos accepted the award on behalf of Mr. Melissanidis, and said: "We aim to
serve the goals of this Greek company on an international level. You said that we are the
biggest provider of fuel in the world. We are present in 50 ports around the world; we have
65 tanker ships and deliver 1,000,000 tons of fuel every month; we refuel 80 to 90 times
every day, employ a staff of 1,300, and have an annual turnover of around $8 billion. The
headquarters of the company are located in Greece, where we plan our future development.
Our latest move is the acquisition of the U.S. east coast bunkering operations of Hess Corp, a
company that has developed a powerful fuel supply network on the East Coast of the United
States of America."
The Icon of Panagia Soumela in Nikea
Thousands of Pontians, friends and generations of descendants of Pontos responded
to the invitation of the Pontian Association
of Nikea-Korydallos and met again this
year in mid-June in a festive atmosphere at
Katrakeio Theatre in Nikea.
The procession of the Holy Icon of Panagia Sumela
During the three-day celebration dozens
of Vermio
of dance groups and artists entertained the
guests, who came from the entire prefecture of Attica. The festival began with
the arrival of the Holy Icon of Panagia Soumela at the temple of Agii Apostoli
in Nikea. The Holy Icon was greeted by a military contingent and the Metropolitan Alexios of Nikea led the procession followed by local authorities, Pontian
unions and crowds of worshipers.
8 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
The Sparta
of Asia Minor
Union Honors
AEK and Dimitris
Melissanidis
As part of the annual festival, the
Sparta of Asia Minor Union honored
AEK on its 90th anniversary and
Dimitris Melissanidis for his decision
to name the new stadium of the team
"Hagia Sophia," as well as for housing
their historical memories of Eastern
homelands in the museum that is to
be built by the stadium.
The Metropolitan Sotirios of Pisidia
(which oversees Sparta of Asia Minor)
attended the event representing the
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos.
The mayor of Nea Ionia Iraklis
Gkotsis, candidate mayors and town
councilors from various political parties, the Member of the Parliament
representing the prefecture of
Cyclades Panagiotis Rigas, representatives of refugee associations,
members of the Sparta of Asia Minor
Union, and many people from the area
were also present.
During the ceremony the guests were
both impressed by and became emotional with a video of the old stadium
of AEK and the construction of the
new stadium.
Numerous people filled the hall where
the Sparta of Asia Minor Union held
the ceremony, showing their love for
AEK and their anticipation to see
their team return to its historic site
and live new days of glory at the
"Hagia Sophia" stadium.
P OSIDONIA
CU P
Second Place for the Acool Turabi
with the Power of Aegean and Lloyds
George Melissanidis, Apostolos Poulovassilis and Antonis Dimitrakopoulos
The Acool Turabi crew
This year's Posidonia Cup was organized with great success by the Hellenic Offshore Racing
Club (HORC) and Posidonia Exhibitions on Friday, May 30, 2014. A total of 58 sailboats
participated in the race.
T
he 13 nautical-mile regatta
started at 1pm on Friday and
evolved into a unique and difficult race because of the strong westto-northwest winds that were blowing
since early that day at a speed of over
30 knots (6-7 Beaufort). The difficult
weather conditions made the race
challenging, but the crews of the 58
participating vessels proved capable
and seaworthy.
The Acool Turabi team, sponsored
by Aegean Shipping and Lloyds Register Marine, stood on the podium of
the Posidonia Cup Yacht Race 2014.
With Antonis Dimitrakopoulos as
skipper and George Melissanidis,
Apostolos Poulovassilis, Nicholas
Brown, Andreas Rakopoulos, Dimitris
Chochlakis, Leonidas Pelekanakis,
Acool Turabi
Emmanuel Pasamichalis, Antonis
Krents, Stylianos Kritikos, Nicholaos
Damianos, and Iasonas Dimitrakopoulos as crew, the twenty four-meter
bright white boat competed in the
IRC category and completed the 13
nautical-mile route in one hour and
thirty one minutes. The first vessel to
cross the finish line was the Grey Goose
Of Rorc (Deloitte). Two minutes later
followed the Acool Turabi and then the
Abraxas (Thenamaris LNG Inc.). The
Acool Turabi missed the 1st place to the
Grey Goose Of Rorc by 55'' (after time
correction) and finished in 2nd place.
The Posidonia Cup award ceremony
took place on Friday evening at Lake
Vouliagmeni in an idyllic atmosphere.
Crews exchanged impressions from
the regatta and watched highlights
from the Posidonia Cup 2014 race on
TV screens sponsored by Samsung.
The evening ended with everyone
wishing to reunite and compete again
in the Posidonia Cup 2016.
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 9
SH I PPI NG
For more GreenFleet news,
visit our new microsite at
www.greenfleet.gr
GreenFleet
Update
M/T Green Hellas
On March 20, 2014 Aegean Shipping Management SA held a naming ceremony at Dae Sun Shipbuilding,
in Busan Korea, for two newbuildings. The M/T Green Planet and the M/T Green Sea were the first
vessels to comprise Aegean’s GreenFleet, set to include four vessels.
Aegean’s GreenFleet includes vessels that incorporate new technologies to reduce operating costs and
pollutants, while increasing overall performance in a wide number of areas.
Aegean News presents the latest GreenFleet news.
10 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
M/T Green Sky
Trials, Programmed Inspection and
Delivery of M/T Green Sky
Launching of M/T Green Hellas
The M/T Green Hellas successfully carried out its Launching
or Floating Free under the supervision of DNV-GL Class at
Daesun Shipbuilding & Engineering in Busan, South Korea.
The certification was issued as the vessel was launched
without incident. Construction was effected under survey
in accordance with the approved drawings, and tightness of
all structural tanks was tested using air pressure. Also, the
welding of the bottom and side plating was tested in accordance with the approved NDT plan and keel sighted, main
dimensions, and draught marks were verified.
M/T Green Planet:
Maiden Voyage
M/T Green Planet, the first newbuilding
of Aegean Shipping’s GreenFleet, completed her maiden voyage successfully.
The vessel was delivered to the charterer
for her first cargo, loading at Singapore
on April 23, 2014 where she was loaded
with seven different palm oil cargoes from
three ports of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Subsequently, she smoothly crossed the
Indian Ocean, having enforced all need-
The M/T Green Sky, the newest vessel of the Aegean GreenFleet,
began Sea Trials on June 4, 2014 between South Korea and
Japan. The Trials were completed successfully on June 8, 2014.
All the scheduled tests on ship's equipment, as well machinery,
closed with no deficiencies and with results greater than vessel
specification expectations.
Following the successful Sea Trials of M/T Green Sky, makers
carried out a programmed M/E inspection in one representative
cylinder unit. All the engine components were found in correct
order and in excellent working condition. Once again, this result
reconfirms that our GreenFleet equipment choice uniquely combines technological excellence with ECO advantages.
Daesun Shipyard delivered M/T Green Sky to her new owners
and managers, on June 27, 2014. The vessel departed on her
first voyage mid July, upon the completion of all the required
preparations—completion of crew familiarization, final tests,
inspections, and audits.
ed anti-piracy measures, at the agreed
charter party speed.
Green Planet called at her first discharging port, Port of Sudan, on May 22,
where she discharged part of her cargo
and then she transited Northbound via
the Suez Canal on May 26.
On May 28 she arrived at her first Mediterranean port, Mersin, Turkey, and
discharged the second part of the cargo,
followed by two more ports in Turkey,
both within the Sea of Marmara.
This voyage completed at the Black
Sea port of Odessa, Ukraine, where
she discharged her last parcel on June
15, 2014 and after completion of discharge was redelivered back to owner’s
service.
All sea passages, maneuvering at sea
and ports, transiting Suez Canal, Dardanelles Bosporus as well as loading
and discharging cargo operations effected during this voyage were carried
out smoothly, without any failure of
her engines, auxiliary machineries and
equipment. All electronic navigational
and communication equipment was in
excellent working condition.
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 11
HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
Annual European Port
Waste Reception Facilities
Conference
HEC at the Heart of Europe
The annual conference of the European Association of Port Waste
Reception Facilities (Euroshore) took place with great success on
June 2, 2014 at the Aegean headquarters.
P
articipation broke all previous
records this year, with numerous attendees who represented
their companies that provide ship waste
management services to major ports
across Europe (among others Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Bremen,
Antwerp, Southampton, Le Havre, Barcelona, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Bari, Livorno,
and Piraeus) and Nigeria.
During the conference the participants discussed all the latest legislative developments and trends in both
the relevant Committees of the European Union (Environment, Transport, Fisheries) and the respective
port management authorities. The
speakers also presented innovative
experimental studies and applications
of new technologies, which focused
mainly on the current critical issue of
management of produced gases from
ships in ports.
12 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
Moreover, the attendees examined,
in detail, the need for expansion of the
Union to countries in America and
Asia, in order to obtain access to the
International Maritime Organization
and this way represent the positions
and concerns of port waste reception
facilities at the global center of the
maritime community.
At the end of the conference, HEC
hosted a dinner and organized a tour
at the port of Piraeus by boat. There
were references to the infrastructure of
the port of Piraeus, data in regards to
port traffic, its role in the development
of the economy, and its long history.
Finally, the participants visited the
HEC oil waste treatment facilities,
which are the largest units in Europe
in terms of production capacity and
the diversity of incoming waste.
All participants congratulated HEC
on a conference well organized.
Piraeus Port
Authority
Awards HEC
A special ceremony took place on
June 12, 2014 at the premises
of the Piraeus Port Authority
(PPA). PPA awarded HEC with
an honorary plaque for its
environmental contribution and
productive cooperation with PPA.
The chairman of PPA SA, George
Anomeritis, emphasized, while addressing the audience, the importance
of their partnership with HEC, which
has been proven successful and awarded by international bodies. Specifically,
ESPO (European Sea Ports Organization) awarded the PPA yet again with
the distinction of Green Port, as a consequence of the accurate and internationally recognized Waste Reception
Facilities HEC provides with the utmost
consistence, accountability and integrity for the last 20 years.
Panagiotis Stamatogiannis, HEC Chairman; Panagiotis
Petroulis, PPA SA Deputy CEO; Stavros Chatzakos,
PPA SA General Manager; George Anomeritis, PPA SA
President and CEO
HEC Stands by Children
RANIA ATMATZIDOU-AGIOSTRATITI | HEC COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR
On May 14, 2014, students of the 5th and 6th grades of the
Primary International School of Piraeus-Doremis visited the
offices of HEC, to learn about the activities of the company
and its environmental work.
As part of their I.B.O. program, the International School of Piraeus-Doremis aims to increase the environmental awareness of
their students and make them environmentally conscious citizens
from a very early age.
HEC executives, as well as the author of this article, informed
the children on the activities of the company in waste management,
prevention of pollution of the sea and generally the protection of
the environment, as well as the positive or otherwise adverse, even
catastrophic, consequences for humans that pollution can cause.
The children's interest intensified and remained undiminished
during the discussions. This was evident as they asked numerous
questions and at the end they all left very useful written messages
on the subject of the environment, even for the grown-ups and us
“experts” who deal with these issues all the time.
At the end of their visit, the school management and the teachers
thanked us, while the children enthusiastically expressed their intention to participate actively in the effort to protect the environment.
Antonis Pavlakis, Yiannis Agiostratitis, Konstantina Valsamidou and
Rania Atmatzidou - Agiostratiti
Konstantina Valsamidou, Rania Atmatzidou - Agiostratiti, Antonis
Pavlakis and Marika Valsamidou
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 13
FLOWS AND CURRENTS
Modernizing the Shipping Industry
International
Day of the
Seafarer 2014
International Day of the Seafarer
is celebrated every year on June
25. This year, the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) celebrated the fourth edition of its
global Day of the Seafarer campaign with a twist. As highlighted
by the announcement of the IMO,
seafarers are the people without
whom food, clothes, gifts, gadgets
or even basic needs would not reach
our doors. We rely on them every
day. However, most of us never
have the opportunity to thank these
people. Therefore, IMO invited the
citizens of the world to participate in this year's celebration by
completing the phrase " Seafarers
brought me ..." and reinforce this
message with a photo, a video,
or a text message and post them
using the social media with hashtag
#thankyouseafarers
http://dayoftheseafarer2014.imo.org/
14 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
In general, shipping is the most energy and cost-efficient form of transportation
and carries around 90% of global trade. Moreover, shipping has been around since
the dawn of time, but that does not mean that it stays the same. Big changes are
afoot and the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is helping the industry adapt.
The SSI is a young organization (launched in 2010) with very few members,
mainly large organizations that represent specific facets of the shipping supply
chain, namely shipowners, charterers, shipbuilders, engineers, service providers, banking, insurance, classification societies, the environmental NGOs Forum for the Future, and WWF.
The SSI’s founding principles are proposals for the industry to consider its
contribution to climate change, the impact of climate change on the industry,
in terms of rising sea levels, as well as issues of energy efficiency and fuel types,
corporate transparency, alternative technologies in ship design and construction, shifts in global trade, and global governance and regulation.
Industries can change if they decide to do so and invest accordingly, with the
help of organizations like the SSI.
Πηγή: Lloyd’s Register
Hydropower May be Great for
Humans, but Not So Great for Fish
Hydropower is the power of water that flows downhill to power turbines and is a convenient,
clean and renewable source of energy. Nevertheless, aside from the fact that dams alter
the natural flow of the water, they can also be very difficult for fish to travel through, as the
turbulent water can hurt and disorient the fish and the blades of the turbine can injure them.
One of the biggest problems is a phenomenon known as barotrauma. This is when the change
in pressure is too extreme and too fast, leading to serious injury or even death and it happens
to many fish when they travel through the turbulent waters near a dam.
Recent surveys explore some of the ways to protect fish from barotrauma. The findings will
help improve turbine designs in dams around the world, reducing the number of fish injuries,
taking under consideration factors, such as the species of fish, the path the fish take, and the
amount of water going through the turbine.
New
Environmental
Laws
Hellenic-Owned Fleet Keeps Growing
According to the latest annual review of the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS), the role of
Greece’s maritime industry’s contribution to the economy is more important than ever due to
the growing numbers of the Hellenic-owned fleet, which has returned to the top in terms of its
global share.
In 2013, despite the recession, the Greek owned fleet increased in tonnage (dwt) and in number of vessels. The Greek register accounted for 802 vessels (over 1,000 gt) amounting to
41,829,594 gt. Greek-owned tonnage held first position internationally. The fleet accounted
for 3,669 vessels (ships greater than 1,000 gt) with 261.63 million deadweight tons, representing 16.16% of total world dwt. The Greek flag fleet ranks seventh internationally (in
terms of dwt) and second in the European Union (EU) (in terms of gt).
Moreover, by the end of December 2013, newbuilding orders by Greek interests amounted to
371 vessels (over 1,000 gt), representing 32.60 million dwt.
The study concludes that Greek shipping could further support the Greek economy and, due
to its size, become a key driver of economic recovery, provided that a stable and competitive
institutional framework is maintained.
The First Marine Biofuel Plant
The world’s first biomass-based sustainable marine fuel refinery will be constructed in Denmark, a facility that will initially produce 50-100,000 tons of biofuel per year. This project will be a great example of a public-private partnership
with significant potential, both for the environment and for business and job
creation. For the construction of this biofuel unit a private company will join
forces with Aalborg University in the development of new sustainable energy
solutions.
The plant will rely on wood as a feedstock, sourced from Russia, Scandinavia,
and potentially Canada. Although the project will at first be established on a
single feedstock, once this has been achieved, authorities will consider extending the input range as well as a wider product portfolio.
Preventing pollution was one of the
original aims of the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) when it
was set up in 1948. But its environmental rule-making has intensified in
recent years and so the shipping industry now faces the cost of complying
with many new rules, as well as making
adjustments to make their ships more
environmentally-friendly.
Use Cleaner Fuel
One of the first big expenses will be
for cleaner fuel that can cost up to
50% more. Ships used to burn the
cheap byproduct, that is left over when
oil is refined. The fine soot that such
fuel gives off can cause premature
deaths from asthma and heart attacks.
In 2005 the IMO started to limit the
sulphur content of maritime fuel,
especially in “emission-control areas”
along heavily populated coasts in North
America and Europe.
Cut Emissions of CO2 and Other
Greenhouse Gases
According to the IMO, ships cause about
2.7% of total man-made emissions, a
bit more than planes but a lot less than
cars and trucks. Under a convention it
has brought into force this year, ships
will have to introduce fuel-economy
measures with the aim of reducing their
emissions by 20% by 2020 and 50%
by 2050.
Clean Ships’ Ballast Water
According to a recent study, around
60,000 ships worldwide would need
refitting with one or more cleansing
units, costing up to $1.7m each.
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 15
P OSI DONI A
Posidonia 2014
1
The Global Shipping
Community in Athens
The global shipping community gathered in Athens from June 6-10 for Posidonia 2014, the world’s
premiere biannual shipping event.
Visitors
Exhibitors
Countries Represented National Pavilions
20,000 1,843
93
21
More than
34
35,000m2
Posidonia 2016: June 6-10, Metropolitan Expo, Athens
16 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
Space
Seminars
3
2
1. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras at Posidonia 2014
2. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Minister of Shipping and the Aegean
G
reece’s Prime Minister Antonis Samars opened the event
with a speech outlining the
importance of the maritime industry
to Greece and underlining the priority the Greek government places on
its shipping and maritime resources.
Minister of Merchant Marine and the
Aegean Miltos Varvitsioitis welcomed
the international shipping community
to Greece.
In his address, the Greek Premier
said: “In the current Posidonia Exhibition, we already broke the 2012 record of participants, as the economic
potential of the Greek commercial
fleet and the strategic positioning of
Greece in future world commerce
are gaining power by the day. The
Greek fleet is operating 15% in world
4
3. Cutting the ribbon of Posidonia 2014
4. Dimitris Melissanidis with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Shipping and the Aegean
"The Greek fleet is operating 15% in world commerce.
In the last ten years, Greek ship-owners have built more
than 2,500 ocean-going ships, mainly in shipyards of the
Far-East. As we speak, a new vessel of Greek ownership is
being built every two days worldwide."
—Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras
commerce. In the last ten years, through the Athens Declaration,
Greek ship-owners have built more launched the redefinition of maritime
than 2,500 ocean-going ships, mainly policies for the whole of the European
in shipyards of the Far-East. As we Union. With the support of our Greek
speak, a new vessel of Greek own- shipowners, who are succeeding across
ership is being built every two days the oceans and whom we are proud of,
worldwide”.
together with the great Greek seamens’
He went on to add: “Only
few
tradition, we are relaunching our
Ο κ. Γεώργιος Μελισσανίδης στην τελετή παρουσίασης του Πράσινου Στόλου
months ago, the Greek Presidency, country starting from the sea”.
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 17
P OSI DONI A
5
6
7
5. Visitors at the Aegean booth
6. Dimitris Melissanidis and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras
7. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Minister of Shipping and the Aegean,
at the Aegean booth
8. The Aegean booth at Posidonia 2014
9. Rania Atmatzidou - Agiostratiti, George Melissanidis,
Panagiotis Stamatogiannis, Giannis Agiostratitis, Lefteris
Aslanidis, Pantelis Chakos and Spyros Yianniotis
10. Koen Versmesse (WVT Industries NV), Rania Atmatzidou
- Agiostratiti, Guido Van Meel (Secertary General at
Euroshore) and Giannis Agiostratitis
11. Kostas Karaindros, George Melissanidis and Thanos
Karaindros
12. The HEC booth at Posidonia 2014
8
18 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
Aegean at Posidonia 2014
A
egean and Hellenic Environmental Center (HEC) were
present with striking booths,
where executives met and mingled
with visitors from Greece and the
world, speaking to company representatives, discussing ongoing agreements and potential partnerships.
Nearly 20,000 visitors, from 93
countries attended the event that
hosted 1,843 exhibitors. Posidonia is
sponsored by the Greek Ministry of
Shipping and the Aegean, the Municipality of Piraeus, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Union of Greek
Shipowners, The Greek Shipping
Cooperation Committee, the Hellenic
Shortsea Shipowners Association, and
the Association of Passenger Shipping
Companies.
Companies from 98 different sectors, from air emissions control
suppliers to yachting brokers and
from blasting equipment providers
to shipchandlers were present this
year, including an unprecedented 250
shipbuilding and repair specialists
occupying 1,787 square meters of
exhibition floor space. Also present
were 24 international government
organizations and institutions.
The world’s top 20 classification soci-
eties also participated, including DNV
GL, the recently merged German-Norwegian outfit and Lloyd’s Register.
Nearly 80 companies specializing
in technologies that promote environmental sustainability and 45 pollution
control specialists were present at this
year’s Posidonia, in line with growing
regulatory pressure to eliminate or reduce to the barest minimum all adverse
environmental impacts from ships.
Aegean and Lloyd’s Register enjoyed success in one of the leading
off-site exhibition events and placed
second in the Posidonia Regatta with
their entry, Acool Turabi.
9 10
11 12
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 19
P OSI DONI A
The Party of Aegean
O
n Thursday, June 5, 2014, Aegean hosted one the
most popular Posidonia parties held during the biannual gathering of the global shipping community.
The founder of Aegean, Dimitris Melissanidis and his
son George, welcomed the thousands of guests that joined
the Aegean family at Balux, a seaside resort club in Glyfada,
the Athenian Riviera. Guests included diplomats, multinational company executives, personalities of the Greek
political scene, high ranking executives of Greek and foreign
1 2
20 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
banks, shipowners of major Greek and foreign shipping
companies, Coast Guard officials, well-known artists, sports
personalities and journalists. Aegean’s guests listened to Antonis Remos and Pantelis Pantelidis, watched a synchronized
swimming show, a balloon-lofted acrobat, enjoyed a seaside
buffet, and toasted each other well into the wee hours.
Aegean wishes all guests and visitors to Posidonia 2014
continued success throughout the coming two years and
looks forward to Posidonia 2016.
3
5
4 6
7
1. Panagiotis Giannakis and George Melissanidis
2. Ingmar Loges, Loukas Lagaras, and Spyros Kapralos
3. Panagiotis Fassoulas with his wife Masha and Eleonora Meleti
4. Jenny Melissanidi and George Melissanidis
5. Petros Papas and his companion
6. Fani Palli-Petralia and Nina Vlachou
7. Peggy Rizou and Dimitris Rizos
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 21
P OSI DONI A
8
9
10 11
12 13
22 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
14 15
16 17
18
8. Antonis Komninos and Dimitris Melissanidis
9. Dorothy Papadogiannis and Georgia Kounalakis
10. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Spyros Kapralos and his companion, and Ilias Psinakis
11. Dusan Bajevic and Antonis Remos
12. Chryssanthi Ntavla and George Ntavlas
13. George Xiradakis, Irini Ntaifa, Melina Travlou, and Thanasis Kyratsous
14. Charis Pampoukis and Spyros Fokas
15. Aris Spiliotopoulos with his companion and George Melissanidis
16. Enjoying the party
17. George Melissanidis and Nikos Leventakis
18. Traianos Dellas with his wife, Gogo Mastrokosta
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 23
STATIONS OF THE MONTH
With Honesty and Integrity
Panagiotis Hitas, Elefsina
Nea Peramos is a municipality in the prefecture of Attica, about 35 miles from Athens. The area
is also known as Megalo Pefko. Founded by refugees from Asia Minor, Nea Peramos is mainly a
recreation area, especially during the summer months, accessible by both the new and the old
Athens-Corinth National Road.
T
he service station of Mr. Hitas is
located at the 33th km of the old
Athens-Corinth National Road.
How long have you been in the fuel
business Mr. Hitas?
I have been in the fuel business for
nearly 30 years. Ten years ago I took a
"break" and went into the tire business.
But three years ago I opened this service station again. I renovated it from
the ground up; new tanks, new pumps,
new everything! From the very beginning, at this new service station, I have
been working with Aegean.
Customers trust us and this
makes us more responsible
and honest towards them
Mr. Hitas’ service station
Then Aegean offered us better prices
and more benefits than the supplier
we had been working with until then.
Please tell us a few words about your
service station. Do you employ any
staff?
We sell gasoline for cars and lubricants. I also operate my tire shop right
next to the service station. I employ a
staff of two and my family helps me
out when I need it.
How is your cooperation with Aegean?
Has Aegean met your expectations?
Have you ever had any complains?
Aegean responds promptly to our
requests. I am very satisfied with the
cooperation between us. All the people I am in contact with are young
and polite. They are flawless in their
deliveries as well as all our other
transactions. I also know Iakovos Melissanidis personally and the inspector
in our area. We are a good match!
What made you change suppliers and
choose Aegean?
Initially I heard good things about Aegean from company representatives.
What is the feedback you get from
your customers in regards to Aegean
products?
We have never had a complaint from
24 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
any of our customers. We do not give
anyone the opportunity to challenge
our products and services. We work
with honesty and integrity. And we
are careful. From the smallest to the
largest customer. From one Euro to
one million Euros. We never underestimate anyone. We are always polite
and helpful and maintain an immaculate service station. From the moment
we took over this station, it has become one of the best in the field.
Is there a lot of competition in you area?
There is a lot of competition, but we
work hard to stay in the game. When
we say that we sell someone 1000 liters, it is not 999, it is exactly 1000 liters. Customers trust us and this
makes us more responsible and honest towards them.
Steady Quality = Loyal Customers
Archonti Kotaidou, Aridea
Aridea is the capital of the municipality of Pella and has a population of 5,600. Located
north of Edessa, on the west bank of the Almopeos River, the area is popular during the
summer months due to the local natural thermal baths.
M
rs. Kotaidou’s service station is centrally located in
Aridea. We spoke to Mrs.
Kotaidou’s husband, Kyriakos Kotaidis.
How many years have you had your
own service station Mr. Kotaidis? When
did you start working with Aegean?
We have been in the fuel business for
many years. This service station has
been in operation since 1978. We have
been working exclusively with Aegean
since 2005.
What made you chose Aegean?
We have been with Aegean for almost
a decade. When we made the decision
to switch, Aegean’s marketing made a
big difference, as well as the fact that
Aegean had a good reputation. They
offered us good prices and the meeting with the inspector of the area was
instrumental to our decision.
How has your communication with Aegean been since then? Have you ever
had any complaints?
No, I have never encountered any major complaint regarding the products of
Aegean. Nor have I ever had a problem
communicating with the company.
Do you employ any staff at your service station?
Currently not. This is a family business. My wife and I operate this service station.
The service station of Mrs. Kotaidou
What do you sell at your service station?
We sell gasoline for cars and lubricants.
Are there many other service stations
in your area? Are you experiencing
much competition?
Competition is indeed stiff. There are
seven service stations in the area.
How do you stay on top of your competition?
We try to be as competitive as possible
and offer low prices as much as possible, with the support of Aegean and,
of course, with great personal effort.
How does your good relationship with
your supplier reflect on your relationships with your customers?
Apart from seasonal customers who
come during the summer months,
most of our customers are loyal, because the quality of our products and
We try to be as competitive
as possible and offer low
prices as much as possible,
with the support of Aegean
and, of course, with great
personal effort
services is steady. The good relationship we maintain with Aegean is evident in our relationship with our customers.
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 25
MARITIME TRADITION
The Aegean Sea and the Origins of Shipping
CHAPTER V
The Navy of the Newly Independent
Greece and the Balkan Wars
Archaeological findings, myths, and the writings of historians suggest that we can trace the
origins of the shipbuilding art to ancient Greece and the Aegean Archipelagos.
T
he battle of Navarino (1827)
marked the end of the war,
with an overwhelming victory
against the Turkish-Egyptian fleet,
which ratified the independence of
the Greeks.
The Greek Navy after 1821
The decision of the first governor of
Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, to create a State navy marked the history of
the modern Greek navy.
The Greek State proceeded with
the purchase of the first steam-powered vessels, with loans from banks
in England and America. Later donations of ships from philhellenes and
decorated heroes of the war of independence completed the fleet.
Between 1833-1835 a total of 20
ships were built in Poros. The first
steam-powered vessels built in Greece
were, in 1837, the Maximilian, and
later the Othon, Loudovikos, Amalia
and Hellas.
The Balkan Wars (1912 – 1913)
The Greek army was well trained and
equipped during the Balkan Wars and
had secured the supremacy of the sea,
thanks to the Greek Navy. The Greek
Navy fought against Turkey alongside
the Balkan allies (Bulgaria, Serbia and
26 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
Montenegro), as the only naval force
of the Alliance, and contributed decisively to victory.
The Armored Cruiser
Georgios Averof
In 1908, the Greek navy was reinforced with four new English and four
new German destroyers. The armored
cruiser Georgios Averof, which was the
Greek fleet flagship until 1951, was
soon added to these battleships.
The Georgios Averof was launched
on February 27, 1910 and on September, 11, 1911 it arrived at Faliro,
where the Greeks welcomed it enthu-
siastically. This is one of the most
celebrated ships of modern Greek
maritime history, which participated
in the victorious naval battles of Elli
(December 3, 1912) and Lemnos
(January 5, 1913) during the Balkan
Wars, as well as many enterprises of
WWI. This ship gave technological
superiority to the Greek navy. The
Georgios Averof was able to reach a
maximum speed of 23 knots, which is
significant even by today’s standards.
It speed, combined with the bold
strategy of Admiral Paul Kountouriotis, allowed the Georgios Averof to
overpower the Turkish fleet.
The armored cruiser Georgios Averof
TRAVEL WITH AEGEAN
Thassos
Thassos, the "Emerald Isle of the Aegean Sea," situated in
northern Greece, lies opposite the coast of Eastern Macedonia
within 18 nautical miles from Kavala and just six miles from the
port of Keramoti.
T
he coastline of Thassos reaches 115 km, many of which form unrivaled beaches. Olives, pine trees, fir trees, lindens, cedar trees, and
cornels cover the small valleys and mountains of Thassos. It is a lush
island, with wood among the main income sources of residents, along with
marble mining, tourism, and the production of honey and olive products.
In ancient times the island had great power and exercised influence over
the then known world. The Athenians, Spartans, Persians and Romans
called Thassos "Athens of the North", and since the island was rich in minerals and natural resources, and was strategically located on the main
crossroads that connect East and central Greece, it was always a target for
invaders and conquerors.
Aegean station
Must See
Archaeological Findings Guests should certainly visit the ancient Agora, the ancient
theater, the Acropolis, and the ruins of the
gates of the ancient city in Limenas. Also,
the ancient temple and the quarry in Aliki
offer great archaeological interest.
The Archaeological Museum in Limenas
The Archaeological Museum of Thassos in
Limenas has recently been renovated and
houses findings that bear witness to the
rich history of the island. Guests who will
tour the museum will be able to admire
findings from various locations in Thassos
and discover the ancient culture of the island in its prime.
The Monastery of St. Panteleimon This
beautiful 18th-century retreat is hidden
high on the mountains above the villages
of Kazabiti and Prinos. The celebration in
memory of St. Panteleimon on July 27 is of
particular interest, as believers and visitors
make their way from the mountain village of
Kazabiti to the monastery where they spend
the night. The next day, pilgrims participate
in the Divine Liturgy and the celebration
that follows.
Celebration of the Assumption of Mary In
honor of the greatest celebration of Orthodoxy, locals and believers from all over the
world visit the village of Panagia and participate in the procession of the Icon of the
Panagia on August 15.
Beaches The beaches of Thassos are a
unique experience because of their natural
beauty. Bathers can simply enjoy the pristine waters or indulge in water sports at
Chrisi Ammoudia, Pachis, and Skala Rahoni
at the north, and Peukari, Potos and Psili
Ammos on the south side of the island.
Diving Surrounded by the blue waters of
the North Aegean, Thassos has the cleanest
and clearest waters in the area and is therefore an excellent choice for divers. Visitors
can find diving schools, with internationally
certified instructors, at the Limenas, Skala
Prinou, Peukari, and Potos beaches.
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 27
CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT
I Protect the Environment-I Safeguard my Future
By staying informed about what is happening in the world and by passing the information on
to others, we are taking a significant step toward the protection of our planet.
Creatures of the Sea
CHAPTER II: SHARKS
28 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
The oceans host a huge number of different species of marine
mammals and fish. Sharks are certainly among the most recognizable and famous sea creatures as the ultimate predators of the
oceans. Although most are not dangerous, sharks cause great fear
in almost all people.
How much do you really know about
sharks?
• Fossils show that there were sharks as far back as 450 to 420
million years ago.
• Sharks are voracious, carnivorous fish.
• Sharks of all sizes have a cartilaginous skeleton.
• Sharks have a rough skin covered by dermal denticles (“skin
teeth”), which work as an outer skeleton.
• They are fast and excellent swimmers.
• There are about 440 species of shark, sized from 20 centimeters
to 15 meters (whale shark).
• Many known species such as the white shark, the tiger shark, the
blue shark, the Mako shark and the hammerhead are top-notch
hunters.
• The white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the Great
White, is a very large shark that swims in coastal waters near the
surface in all major oceans. It can have a length greater than 6
meters and weigh over two tons!
• Like other fish, sharks get oxygen from sea water using their gills.
• They live mostly in warm seas, but you might (rarely) encounter
them in large navigable rivers, which they enter by following merchant ships.
• Most sharks are "cold-blooded," or rather poikilothermic, which
means that their internal temperature is adjusted to match the
temperature of the outside environment.
• Sharks have a strong sense of smell. Some species are able to
detect even trace amounts of blood in seawater.
• Sharks can constrict and dilate the pupils of their eyes like people.
• We do not know much about the hearing of sharks because it is
difficult to check. We believe sharks to have a strong sense of
hearing and possibly hear prey a mile away.
• Sharks live to be 20-30 years old.
• Sharks are often threatened by human activities such as fishing.
About 100 million sharks are killed by people every year, due to
commercial and recreational fishing.
Meet Geli!
A young and energetic shark is housed in the aquarium that
graces the reception of the Aegean Headquarters since last
summer.
Her name is Geli.
• Geli is a Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus).
• This type of shark is easily recognized by the black tips of its
fins.
• Blacktip reef sharks like Geli inhabit the tropical coral reefs of
the Indian and Pacific oceans.
• These sharks prefer shallow coastal waters and their fin often
appears over the water.
• Blacktip sharks usually reach 1.6 meters in length. Our Geli is
still much smaller!
• Blacktip reef sharks are viviparous, which means they give
birth to baby sharks.
• Females can give birth to 2-5 young ones every six months,
year, or two years.
• Blacktip reef sharks are usually shy and timid and are difficult
to approach.
• They rarely pose a threat to humans.
photo: Kydd Pollock/Marine Photobank
I BECOME INFORMED - I INFORM OTHERS - I ACT
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 29
30 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014
AEGEAN
COLLECTION
Step out in style
with the Aegean Collection
Aegean and renowned designer Robbi di Kappa have
teamed up to design a brand new look for today! The
Aegean sport line, with its nautical influence, is perfect
for stepping out in style, in the city, by the sea, or on
country walks—for him and for her.
Bundle up or travel light in polos and t-shirts.
At home, relax in luxurious bathrobes.
And stash your gear in versatile and stylish Aegean bags.
Discover the new Aegean look at the Aegean Shop or
online at www.aegeaneshop.com
Aegean Shop
at the Aegean Headquarters—
10 Akti Kondyli, 18545, Piraeus, Greece
SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 31
Aegean
Energy for the Future
Aegean is Greece's most dynamic energy, petroleum, and shipping group. The company has a network of retail gas
stations throughout Greece, is active in marine fuels and lubricants, and operates a fleet of tankers and barges internationally and domestically to transport petroleum and bunkers for its global base of clients.
RETAIL MARKET
Through its fast-growing network of gas stations, Aegean supplies drivers in Greece with gasoline and automotive
lubricants. Aegean’s modern, well-maintained gas station network has won the trust of drivers due to the high quality
products and services it offers at competitive prices. In addition, Aegean directly supplies large industrial clients with
petroleum products of all grades, owing to the consistency and service of its transactions.
BUNKER FLEET
NYSE listed Aegean Marine Petroleum Inc., with an exclusively double hull fleet—of which nine ships are newbuildings—is the natural supplier of marine fuels at 12 of the most significant ports in the world. Furthermore, with its
22 newbuildings program in progress and the continuous opening of new stations, it is one of
the most dynamically developing divisions Of the Aegean Group.
BUNKERING
Aegean provides one of the most efficient and responsive bunkering services to
clients worldwide. Its ships never stop sailing and its services are available 24
hours a day, 365 days a year.
Aegean operates bunkering stations in Piraeus and Patras, and in Gibraltar,
Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, Fujairah, Jamaica, Singapore, Trinidad &
Tobago, Portland UK, Vancouver and Montreal, Mexico, Tangiers, Las Palmas
and Tenerife, Panama, Barcelona, Algeciras, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New
York, Norfolk, and Charleston. All its products are ISO 8217 certified. The
Company, which is a member of IBIA and is ISO 9001 certified, is well positioned on the FOBAS White List.
SHIPPING
Aegean's fleet of ships is at the heart of its superior service worldwide. Its vessels operate in full compliance with EU and international standards, are all certified
with the code of safe management ISM and SOLAS and are in complete compliance with
MARPOL regulations.
Aegean continually adds to its fleet of ships, which includes large vessels as well as
smaller capacity vessels. Its fleet transports oil cargoes worldwide on behalf of major
oil companies, commercial clients, and Aegean customers.
LUBRICANTS
Aegean produces and markets high performance lubricants for vehicles and
industrial use under the Aegean brand and, for the marine market, under the
ALFA brand. ALFA marine lubricants are certified and approved by the largest
marine engine manufacturers in the world.
The resources of our company and our follow–up service create our successful relationships and allow Aegean to supply lubricants in more than 550
ports worldwide.
ENVIRONMENT-HEC
The Hellenic Environmental Center collects, transports and processes oil residues
from ships and land units (industrial, shipyards), while it also manages all liquid
residues produced by ships.
In order to carry out its work HEC has the most state-of-the-art equipment, consisting of
floating separators, a fleet of pollutant-collecting tankers, and well-equipped tank trucks.
HEC acts to protect the marine environment and at the same time contributes significantly to the saving of energy
with the recycling procedures it uses to transform the reclaimed pollutants into energy resources.
TRADING
Aegean is dynamically active in the trading of crude oil and petroleum products worldwide. The Trading Department
is comprised of dedicated and professional individuals who combine high level expertise and a great many years of
experience in the oil industry. Petroleum products are supplied to a broad spectrum of customers who comprise the
company's portfolio. Aegean has acquired its credibility from the high quality of the services it provides to suppliers
and ship owners, a fact that supports the company’s ambitions for the achievement of long-range goals in the energy
sector worldwide.
Aegean’s websites
www.aegeanoil.com
www.ampni.com
32 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014