Our Seas, Shipping, and the Marine Ecosystem

Aegean News THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF AEGEAN WINTER 2016-17

Aegean Supplies TAP

HEC Distinction at the European Business Awards and Greek Awards for the Environment

Interview Dr. George A. Gratsos Chairman of HELMEPA Our Seas, Plus Shipping, and the Flows and Currents Travel with Aegean Marine Ecosystem Επιστροφή σε ευρώ με κάθε σας συναλλαγή

Ενημερωθείτε αναλυτικά για το πρόγραμμα Επιστροφή στο www.epistrofi-eurobank.gr. Aegean editorial Core Activities Regulation, industry and the common good. Regulations within our industries have become part Retail and parcel of doing business in today’s connected and AEGEAN OIL has established a gas station global marketplace. Well-designed measures should network throughout Greece, and is one of the fastest growing companies in the retail strike a judicious balance between encouraging private market. AEGEAN’S gasoline market share in enterprise to flourish and protecting the interests of the Greece is 8%. greater public. Often, it appears that new regulations place a financial or other burden on Shipping AEGEAN SHIPPING manages a fleet of tank- companies that is onerous. Yet done well, they often carry a short-term cost for ers, ranging from 28.610 to 50,926 DWT, a long-term gain. that transfers and delivers oil to our clients throughout the world. All ships meet ISM In shipping, organizations such as the IMO (International Maritime Orga- standards. The Company’s new GreenFleet nization) play a pivotal role—acting as a liaison between the public and indus- (http://www.greenfleet.gr) incorporates the latest technologies to ensure reduced try—in ensuring the interests of moving the world’s cargo is done in the most operating costs and reduced emissions, efficient way and, at the same time, protects our environmental commons, while increasing overall performance. All especially our seas and waterways. ships are certified by ISM, ISPS and MLC as well as with ISO 9001, 14001, 18001 and The regulatory framework is also challenging for companies since it may 50001. AEGEAN SHIPPING is additionally operate at a local, regional, state, intrastate, country, continental and inter- certified with ISO 22301. national level. Nevertheless, we recognize the need to engage in discussion, dialogue, debate, consultation and, ultimately, compromise, to create win-win Bunkering AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM is a leader in results for all stakeholders. providing the best bunkering services avail- In addition, beyond the legal framework, we are bound by natural laws, of- able in Piraeus, Patras, Gibraltar, Amster- dam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, Fujairah, Jamaica, ten self-imposed, based on our deep values and long-held commitments. Singapore, Trinidad & Tobago, Vancouver, This is where Aegean shines. From day one, Aegean has set its own stan- Montreal, Mexico, Tanger Med (Morocco), dards based on its historic roots. And those roots delve deep into the history Canary Islands, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Los Angeles and of Pontian Greeks, a people who have overcome hardship to become among Long Beach, Hamburg, the Gulf of Mexico, the most successful business and community leaders in Greece—and beyond. St. Petersburg, South Africa and Brazil. AE- GEAN MARINE PETROLEUM is the market Aegean is proud that it has instituted measures—voluntarily–that ensure leader in bunkering. it reduces its carbon footprint, as for instance in its long-standing efforts to operate a paperless office. Beyond that, its Green Fleet of ships was built to Agency Services specifications that exceeded environmental regulations—knowing that our Ships from around the world rely on AEGE- AN AGENCY services at Piraeus, Gibraltar, sustainable future depends on conscientious and rigorous classifications. Fujairah, and Jamaica, from loading and The regulatory framework works best when public bodies and private indus- discharging, to spare parts and supplies. try, including companies such as Aegean, work hand in hand for a bright future. Lubricants AEGEAN OIL produces and markets high performance lubricants for vehicles and industrial use, under the AEGEAN brand. AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM trades and RAYMOND MATERA supplies lubricants for the marine market Publisher under the ALFA brand.

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 1 C

CMY K You're on the move. So are we. Get Aegean News wherever you are.

Aegean News iPad version is now available at the app store. Enhanced with video, more photos, and interactive content!

TIME ANYWHERE AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM contents

CM th MY HEC was awarded the first prize at Aegean had a strong presence at the Platts 5 Dr. George A. Gratsos, Chairman of the European Business Awards and Annual Mediterranean Bunker Fuel Conference HELMEPA, speaks about their pioneering CY 14 6 22 the Greek Awards for the Environment in Athens initiative that focuses on our common

CMY heritage—our seas and oceans. K You're on the move. So are we. CODE: 5169 Get Aegean News wherever you are. Winter 2016-2017 4 AEGEAN UPDATE 22 THE AEGEAN INTERVIEW Dr. George A. Gratsos, Chairman of HELMEPA Aegean News is published quarterly by AEGEAN 10 CHRISTMAS WITH AEGEAN PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR Aegean Celebrates the Holidays 24 STATIONS OF THE MONTH Raymond Matera • John Maris, Heraklion, Crete CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Alexandra Loli 12 HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL • Vassilis Papaemmanouil, Alexandria, Imathia DESIGN CENTER Aegean News iPad version White Design • Distinction of HEC at the European PRINTING AND BINDING Business Awards and the Greek Awards 26 MARITIME TRADITION is now available at the app store. Korifi Publications SA for the Environment Greek Shipbuilding and Seafaring from Enhanced with video, more photos, OWNER • The 7th Greek National Conference Antiquity to Modern Times Aegean for Port Works 10 Akti Konydli and interactive content! 185 45, Piraeus, Greece Tel: +30 210 458 6000 27 TRAVEL WITH ΑEGEAN Fax: +30 210 458 6241 14 FLOWS AND CURRENTS Ioannina E-Mail: [email protected] Trends and News in the Oil and Energy Fields Websites: www.aegeanoil.gr, www.ampni.com 16 SHIPPING 28 CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT Comments and suggestions The Vikos–Aoös National Park are welcome. Shipping and the Marine Environment Aegean News is free of charge and is available, subject to availability, to any interested person or organization. 20 THE ENVIRONMENT 30 AEGEAN COLLECTION The Marine Ecosystem Step Out in Style Please Recycle TIME WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 3 ANYWHERE AEGEAN UPDATE

The children offer Mr. Melissanidis a handcrafted ship Aegean Supports Upper left to right: Justin Fobian, Oldendorff; Sima Arefi, Oldendorff; Raquel Hernan Sanz, Repsol; Christian Klock, Oldendorff; and Stephen Pike, Oldendorff Lower left to right: Daniel Coughlin, ST Shipping and Christine Malmross, Stena Bulk Shipping SOS Children's Villages Eisbeinessen Dinner For yet another year, continuing his On November 4 Aegean Hamburg held a party for the annual Eisbeinessen. The party was charity work, George Melissanidis held at the club "The Room" and was well attended by the many customers, vendors and responded to meet the needs of food business partners supporting the Hamburg office since opening in January 2015. and personal hygiene items of the The Hamburg Shipbrokers’ Association’s annual Eisbeinessen is already featured in the SOS Children's Village in Vari for the Guinness Book of Records for the thousands of shipbrokers, shipping agents, shipowners, year 2016. The SOS Children's Village bankers, forwarding agents, terminal operators and bunker companies that travel to the city in Vari (http://www.sos-villages.gr/) every November to feast on ham, hock, and sauerkraut and wash it down with beer. was the first to be created in Greece, This year more than 5,000 people from all parts of the maritime industry took part in one of in 1982. It consists of 10 SOS family the biggest shipping events. This year’s partner country was the United Arab Emirates repre- houses for 52 children 4-17 years old. sented by the Dubai Shipping Agents’ Association (DSSA). During this past September the chil- Hamburg lives and breathes shipping as one of Europe’s largest ports with major terminal dren welcomed Irene Panagopoulou of Aegean Shipping to their home operators, two world-class container lines, numerous shipowners, shipbrokers, shipmanagers and Mrs. Panagopoulou presented and shipfinance banks. It is also home to our Aegean office providing worldwide marketing the donation on Mr. Melissanidis’ and physical bunker supplies in all German ports. behalf. The children shared with Mrs. Panagopoulou their experiences of their life in the village, their school performance and memories of their summer vacation. On October 26 the children of the SOS Children's Village of Vari, accom- panied by the Chief Executive of the SOS Children's Villages, George Protopappas, and the Director of the SOS village in Vari and the youth program “Stegi Neon,” Epaminondas Lorandos, visited Mr. Melissanidis at the Aegean Shipping headquarters in Piraeus. During their visit the children gave Mr. Melissanidis a special gift to thank him for his support: a little ship that they made themselves! Tony Sanderson, NSI; Anna Maria Karakasi, Aegean; and Johan Hammarberg, Stena Oil

4 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 Congratulations! AMP bunker trader Gratsiella Kladis Orsalia Xenikaki, Jean-Paul Chauvin, Nazzareno Merlonetti, Ward Chris, Semina Galazoula, Antonis Papadakis, and Ioannis Pistolas successfully completed her M.Sc. studies in Shipping Management at Aegean Supplies TAP Alba Graduate Business School on November 29, 2016. Aegean Oil has signed a contract with the Spiecapag-Aktor consortium of companies for the supply of fuel related to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) construction project. Based on this contract, Aegean will supply fuel on a daily basis to all construc- New Employees tion sites and vehicles involved in the construction of the portion of the pipe- The following employees have joined the line undertaken by Spiecapag-Aktor. Aegean work force. The contract was signed at the offices of Aegean in Alexandroupolis. The Proj- OIL ONE ect Manager of the TAP project for Spiecapag, Jean-Paul Chauvin, and Aegean Nikolaos Katsiotis AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM Oil CEO, Antonis Papadakis, both expressed their satisfaction for the future Maria Stathaki cooperation between the two companies and confirmed that each will make ev- AEGEAN OIL ery possible effort to assist in the construction of TAP, one of the most impor- Ethimios Panagiotopoulos tant energy infrastructure development projects in Europe in recent decades.

AMPNI Celebrates 10 Years at the NYSE Aegean Marine Petroleum Network cele- brated the 10th anniversary of its listing on the New York Stock Exchange by ringing the opening bell to commence the day’s trading. Colleagues and guests joined Chairman Peter Georgiopoulos and President Nikolas Tavlarios on the podium to commemorate the day and celebrate Aegean’s achievement. Mr. Tavlarios commented; “We are very proud of our results over the last ten years and Aegean’s continued track record of success during a very volatile period in the maritime industry. Our consistent performance is a testament to the incredible team of professionals we have built around the world and the hard work and dedication of our global team.”

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 5 AEGEAN UPDATE

S&P Global Platts Annual Mediterranean Bunker Fuel Conference participants The Platts 5th Annual Mediterranean Bunker Fuel Conference in Athens The S&P Global Platts Annual Mediterranean Bunker Fuel Conference re- th turns for its 5 year and this time was held for the first time in the great city Daniel Cavies, Chris Secker, Vicky Livingstone, of Athens. and Gary Sullivan This year once again S&P Global Platts brought together the region’s leading bunker fuel suppliers, traders, brokers, refiners, ship operators, owners, and other marine fuel industry organizations to discuss the changing landscape of the Mediterranean heading towards 2020. The Conference was the first to be held after the IMO decision to set 2020 as the date for the 0.5% global sulphur cap. The speakers successfully addressed the topic of transitioning to a new era and the future challenges of the supply chain. Gregory Robolakis, AMP Gen- Gregoris Robolakis, Achilleas Tsioufis, and Apostolos Papatheodorou eral Manager, opened the discussion and Jean Jose Metey, AMP Commercial and Development, spoke about the future of emissions regulations in the Mediterranean. Aegean had the initiative to propose this event take place in Athens and it proved a big success. It was a pleasure for Aegean to support this event for the first time in Greece and to host the evening dinner at the company’s premises in Piraeus. We sincerely hope to make this a tradition for the Greek

capital, the homeland of the most successful and well-known companies in Nikos Zaharopoulos, Ole Neubert, Angeliki Antoniadi, Nikos the shipping industry. Kotsakas, and Georgios Zaimis

Wishes for Aegean wishes to all its friends, business partners, associates, and clients, in Greece and abroad, a happy, 2017 creative, and successful 2017.

6 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 Aegean at the 36th Argus Fuel Oil & Feedstock Summit Aegean was present at the 36th Argus Fuel Oil & Feedstock Summit held in Miami, Florida, on October 23-25, 2016. This annual energy Captain Carlos Mauricio Echandia Zuluaga; George Kontogeorgis; Roberto M/T Dilos during bunkering operation conference traditionally brings Garcia Marquez, Ambassador of Colombia; and Captain Juan Manuel with ARC Gloria Jimenez Hernandez, Naval Attache together the traders, the brokers and the suppliers of the fuel industry. Aegean was pleased to once again The Colombian ARC Gloria host a successful event in advance of the Argus Fuel and Feedstock Summit at Aegean’s berth facilities in Jamaica in Miami this past October. The party, On November 22 the Colombian sail training vessel ARC Gloria arrived at Kingston Ja- which was held at the beautiful 1 maica for an official visit. As per the request of the Embassy of Colombia in Kingston to Hotel on Miami’s South Beach, was Aegean and the Honorary Consulate of Greece, Aegean’s berth facilities were provided, as widely attended by industry veterans, an extended courtesy, to facilitate the berthing of the vessel. suppliers, customers and friends and The ARC Gloria was built in Bilbao Spain in 1967 and was commissioned in September was a tremendous success. Everyone 1968. She is one of four similar sail training vessels built for Latin American navies. She is looking forward to next year. is 76 meters long (bowsprit included) and beam 10.6 meters. She has three masts 40 meters long with sail area of 1,787 sq. meters and max sail speed of 12.5 knots. She is manned with 159 men and women. Many events took place during her four-day stay in Kingston and hundreds of people visited. At the farewell dinner the Ambassador of Colombia Roberto Garcia Marquez, the Naval Attaché Captain Juan Manuel Jimenez Hernandez, and the captain of the vessel, Captain Carlos Mauricio Echandia Zuluaga, delivered an appreciation speech and handed a commemorative plaque to the manager of Aegean’s local office and Honorary Consul of Greece, George Kontogeorgis. The Aegean team: (front row), Sal Drago, Maria Kritikou, Alvaro M de Azevedo, Mark Ammirati and Nick Tavlarios, and (back row) Michael Reilly, Keith Richardson, Francesca Himelman, Ray Bacani, Georgia Kounalakis, and Manolis Chochlakis Voluntary Blood Drive On December 8, 2016 a Greek Red Cross blood donation mobile unit came to the Aegean facilities in Aspropyrgos to enhance the blood bank of the company. As expected many Aegean employees participated. The colleagues who donated blood are Zafiris Kyrmpeis, Panagiotis Kalogeropoulos, Adil Kara, Kostas Skalas, Konstantinos Kantarelis, Petros Kordalis, Dimitris Kordalis, Ilias Papasideris, Panagiotis Kolympiris, Dionysis Fotinopoulos, Elvira Lila Orestis Georgiopoulos, Konstantinos Papadakis, Antonis Pavlakis, Kyriakos Boutzikas, Fotis Kalamaras, Angeliki Sotiriadou, Yiannis Komninos, Dimitris Georgoulis, and Kostas Floudopoulos. Chung Taek, Rabobank; Mrs. And Mr. Edward Santos; Christine Dirringer, BNP Paribas; and Pickney Thomas, We would like to thank all our colleagues for their participation! ABN AMRO

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 7 AEGEAN UPDATE

The IBIA 2016 Convention in Petroleum Gibraltar Tournament 2016 The IBIA’s international annual gathering was held in Gibraltar on November 7-10 in conjunction with the Government of Gibral- tar and the Gibraltar Port Authority. Gibraltar’s Minister for Shipping, the Hon Albert Isola, said that the government is fully supportive of holding such prestigious events in Gibraltar, highlighting its commit- ment to continue developing the port as an important contributor to economic growth. As Gibraltar, Algeciras, Tanger Med and Ceu- John Gordon, JJ Metey, and Dorothy Papadogiannis ta handle the vast majority of the bunkering in the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar was an excellent location for IBIA’s biggest annual conference event after Cancun last year. The conference’s management also led the delegates on a visit to the new port of Tanger Med in Morocco during their stay. The visit was instructive and beneficial as Tanger Med port is the biggest port in Africa. The main subject of the conference was the new resolution that IMO took in October to cap bunkering products at 0.5% sulphur worldwide (from the previous 3.5%). This is one of the biggest challenges in bunkering since ships have changed from coal to fuel. During the The latest petroleum tournament conference, participants had the opportunity to describe and debate the ways of meeting took place on October 14 – November this challenge by 2020. 4, 2016 between several industry From refinery updates to installation of scrubbers, from LNG supply to distillate or blended companies at the Philothei tennis products, all possibilities were covered, discussed and debated. It seems that in the short club, the Milonas Stadium in Nea term, no solution is readily available. Smirni, and the Ilissos Sports Club in Another question was about the outcome of the 200 million tons of high sulphur, which will Kallithea. Aegean won in the follow- still be produced and will find no market for it. ing categories: Again, the shipping and refining community will face challenges in the years to come. • Volleyball, 1st place: P. Ioannidis, A. Pavlakis, L. Aslanoglou, I. Sideris, G. Panos, H. Kehris, H. Fikiri, M. Skafida, and P. Kordalis • Tennis, Men’s singles (2nd chance) Semi-finals: L. Aslanoglou and H. Kehris Aegean, Avin, BP, Chevron, Coral, Eko, Hellenic Petroleum, Hellenic Fuels, Elin Oil, Mamidoil - Jetoil, Revoil, Μotor Oil, Shell & MOH, Silk Oil and Petrogaz took part in the tournament. We thank all our colleagues who participated in the tournament, worthily representing our company. We con- gratulate them and wish that Aegean always comes back a winner! Keith Nuza, Spyros Maltezos, Aida Garcia, Apostolos Manitsas, Dorothy Papadogiannis, and JJ Metey

8 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 Athens hosts the EU-Arab World Summit The EU-Arab World Summit in Athens On the initiative of the Greek government, the EU-Arab Greece and the making of a new economy, the economic World Summit was held on November 3-4, 2016 in Athens transformation in the Arab world and the path into the to provide the most representative and dynamic platform post-oil era, building a new potential in energy, the po- for debating strategies of Euro-Arab cooperation and tential of Greece for business and investments, develop- partnership between the two major economic and politi- ing a new generation of infrastructure in the Arab world, cal blocs. The First Euro-Arab World Summit, “Partners and the new era for foreign direct investments (FDI). for Growth and Development,” set the foundation for a Aegean believes that Euro-Arab cooperation is instru- lively and purposeful Euro-Arab dialogue. The Summit mental and therefore had a strong presence at the Sum- was under the Auspices of the President of the Hellenic mit. Aegean Founder Dimitris Melissanidis and AMPNI Republic, Prokopios Pavlopoulos, and endorsed by the General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Spyros Fokas, Prime Minister of Greece, Alexis Tsipras, who delivered attended, while Jonathan Mcilroy, Aegean Bunkering a keynote address at the Summit. Key topics included the Services Bunker Trading Manager, delivered a speech at European-Arab partnership shifting to a new paradigm, the Summit.

Dimitris Melissanidis; Dr. Abdullah Dahlan, Chairman of the University of Business & Technology Jonathan Mcilroy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and Spyros Fokas

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 9 CHRISTMAS WITH AEGEAN

A Christmas Party for Aegean’s Children

On December 18, 2016 Aegean, once again faithful to tradition, opened its arms and welcomed the children of its employees, together with their parents, at the Christmas Party held in the special events hall on the 8th floor of the company’s headquarters in Piraeus. Exciting and interactive games, dancing to the sounds of Christmas songs, and a rich buffet with a variety of delicacies and sweets, kept the interest of young and old unabated. The Nutcracker greeted the children at the beginning of the celebration. At the end the children received presents from Santa Claus and, full of joy and enthusiasm, promised to meet again at next year’s party. Best Wishes, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to all!

10 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 Traditional Carols On December 23, 2016 the Pontian Association of Korydallos, Nikea, sang traditional carols for Aegean on the ground floor of the company headquarters in Piraeus. N. Hondos, A. Athanasiou, and D. Koutsoukos D. Melissanidis and K. Polydakis The children of the Pontian Association of Korydallos gave a special touch to the Aegean Employees festive atmosphere with their beautiful performance. Celebrate Christmas Aegean founder Dimitris Melissanidis On December 15, 2016 the staff of Aegean thanked the club for their kind perfor- Bunkering organized a Pre-Christmas Party mance and wished everyone a Merry at the “Mayor” bar-restaurant in Kolonaki, Christmas. Athens. Dimitris and George Melissanidis attended the event, joining the entire Ae- gean Bunkering team in a beautiful festive atmosphere that brought everyone closer. Such events often take place at Aegean. The staff always gladly responds to these calls and so relations are strengthened leading to more effective results. Until next time then!

Expression of Solidarity

S. Fotiadou, Metropolitan Bishop Alexios, and A. Pavlakis On Christmas Eve, Metropolitan Bishop Alexios from the Church of the Holy Trinity in Nikea took the initiative to collect and deliver food to 4,500 of our fellow human beings in need. Aegean showed great sensitivity and love for our fellow man and filled the warehouse of the church with 50 boxes of food. Pontian Association of Korydallos dancers S. Fotiadou and A. Pavlakis

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 11 HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

D. Melissanidis, P. Stammatogiannis, G. Marinakis (Mayor of Rethymno) and M. Stammatogianni Distinction of HEC at the European Business Awards and the Greek Awards for the Environment

On October 19, 2016, the 6th award ceremony for the European Business Awards for the Environment was held at the Eugenides Foundation in the presence of the political leadership of the country.

he European Business Awards for the Environment are awarded to companies, organizations, and public and private entities based in Greece that successfully combine Tinnovation, economic viability, sustainable development, environmental protection, and circular economy. Responsible for organizing the awards for Greece is the Hellenic Environmental Protection Companies (PASEPPE) and the Depart- ment of Environment of the European Commission (DG Environ- ment), who announced the final ranking and awarded prizes. HEC was awarded the first prize in the Process Award and the Business & Biodiversity Award categories. HEC’s Chairman of the Board, Panagiotis Stammatogiannis, received the awards on behalf of the company. He thanked the sci- entific committee who evaluated the proposals and awarded HEC. He also pledged that this recognition of their efforts would be a starting point for new achievements in the protection of the environment and their contribution to circular economy and sustain- P. Stammatogiannis able development.

12 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 The 7th Greek National Conference for Port Works

The 7th Greek National Conference for Port Works, organized by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), took place in Athens on November 28 - December 1, 2016. Michalis Psaromichalakis, HEC Director of Research and Development, represented the Hellenic Environmental Center.

NTUA professor Maria Loizidou, who coordinated the conference discussion Minister of Ports, Port Policy, and Maritime Investment P. Kouroumplis and NTUA professor and RAL Chairman K. Moutzouris

he conference aimed at pre- and Maritime Investment, Panagiotis contribution to circular economy senting the latest develop- Kouroumplis, and General Secretary through the management of oil res- ments in the area of port Christos Lampridis attended the con- idues. Tworks in Greece and Cyprus in reference. Representatives of the entire The conference ended with a visit search, design, and manufacturing, shipping community and various sci- of the delegates to the company’s fa- and the impact on the environment, entific institutions were also present. cilities in Drapetsona where they as well as fostering the exchange of In the first special session on Port were given the opportunity to ob- views and the promotion of expertise Waste Management, coordinated by serve HEC’s contribution to the cre- in these areas. Prof. Maria Loizidou, Mr. Psarom- ation of the most modern oil waste The Minister of Ports, Port Policy, ichalakis presented the company's treatment plant in Europe.

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 13 FLOWS AND CURRENTS

Regulatory Framework Addresses LNG Bunkering Safety and Risk Factors Existing regulations in North America already address the design, equipment, operations and training of per- sonnel on vessels carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) as cargo in bulk, and fueling systems for boil-off gas used on LNG carriers. Similar regulations should exist to address vessels receiving LNG for use as fuel. Due An Animated Global Weather Map to the growing demand for compre- hensive guidelines and policies for An animated view of global weather conditions is now available online. bunkering LNG fueled vessels, the Drawing on global weather and ocean data, supercomputers calculate a American Bureau of Shipping along weather forecast that is updated every three hours, while the ocean surface with regulatory bodies and interna- current estimates are updated every five days, the ocean surface temperatures tional organizations have worked to and anomalies from daily average are updated daily, and the ocean waves establish standardized infrastructure are updated every three hours. The system draws weather data from various and operational procedures so as to sources, such as the GFS (Global Forecast System), OSCAR (Ocean Surface develop a document for LNG stake- Current Analyses Real-time), RTGSST (Real Time Global Sea Surface Tem- holders to use as a reference to guide perature), and the GEOS-5 (Goddard Earth Observing System) systems. For them through issues associated with more information and to visualize the earth’s flows and currents, visit https:// existing and planned infrastructure for LNG bunkering. This regulatory earth.nullschool.net guidance framework compiles lessons learned from early adopters of LNG fueled vessels as well as feedback from the industry, while engineers assess the requirements of various Fisherman Discovers regulatory bodies, including the Record-Size Pearl IMO, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. A fisherman from the Philippines has Environmental Protection Agency and the state and local authorities reportedly discovered a huge pearl in- involved in a bunkering project. The side a giant clam around the waters of initial findings outlined the applicable Palawan and hidden it for a decade. This regulatory framework and provided threatened species of mollusc is native an understanding of the uncertainties to the warm waters of the South Pacific that still exist. The report provides and Indian Oceans and can often grow to decision trees that guide the user to 1.2 meters in length. The pearl weighs 34 the applicable regulatory framework kilograms and could potentially be worth based on the identified scenarios for millions of dollars. What’s more, it could be a record holder for the largest natural pearl LNG bunkering. For each of these sit- ever discovered, according to Filipino officers. Although it still needs an official weigh-in uations, the specific implementation and authentication before any record-holding claims are substantiated, the pearl drew requirements are tabulated. Source: Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide everyone’s attention when it was recently publicly shown for the first time, with images spreading across social media.

14 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 A Greek Mythology Museum at the Bottom of Pagasitikos Gulf The Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment Department of the University of Thessaly has announced their plans to create a museum of underwater sculptures at the bottom of the Pagasitikos Gulf. This innovative research project is entitled “Art Reef” and will allow visitors to dive 15 to 20 meters below the sea to admire the PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY CHRISTOPHER NICOLSON exhibits. 100 sculptures will be placed at the bottom of the Pagasitikos Gulf. The Future of Fish The goal is to first create the right Future of Fish is a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs reinvent the seafood industry by attack- conditions on the sandy seabed so as to ing problems throughout today's long industrialized fishery supply chains. Future of Fish's en- form a substrate where microorganisms, trepreneurial partners work with processors and distributors to improve sustainable practices, sponges, seaweed, starfish, and fish will both for frozen fish and fresh. The effort begins with making information available, properly grow and create biodiversity. Then the identifying fish and tracking it all the way from sea to plate. Today's consumers have little idea team of the University of Thessaly will where, when, or how most of their fish was caught. In fact, studies show they often don't even start placing the statues creating the know what kind of fish they are really buying. At the same time, many popular fish species reef. Slowly marine life will settle on the like the bluefin tuna have collapsed under fishing pressure. Some studies suggest that today's cement statues and give them a unique populations of large ocean fish are at just 10 percent of their pre-industrial levels. Some form. The sculptures will be inspired by Greek mythology inherent in the scientists warn that all fisheries could collapse by 2050. However, many fish populations Thessaly region, such as the Argonauts, have shown an ability to rebound if they are managed. Tough regulations often encounter Jason, and the Centaurs. The University pushback, but Future of Fish hopes to drive adoption by making them better for business. of Thessaly has already come in contact Source: National Geographic with local artists, who will sculpt statues in human dimensions.

Europe Remains Dominant in Cruise Ship Orders In 2016 the cruise sector has seen a strong level of newbuilding orders and investments despite the current historically weak contracting environment. Following low levels of ordering in 2008 and 2009, in the first seven months of 2016, 17 cruise ships of a total 45,420 passenger berths have been reported contracted, already surpassing the 11 ships (33,788 berths) ordered in 2015. Europe remains dominant in the cruise sector (European yards account for 98% of the global cruise order book with 54 ships of a combined 143,722 berths), while many yards have benefitted from this firm level of newbuilding activity. Nevertheless, as cruise lines continue to expand their fleets, owners also look to new markets such as China. Source: Clarksons

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 15 SHIPPING Shipping and the Marine Environment

Water makes up more than 70 percent of the earth’s surface. That's a lot. Maintaining our seas, oceans, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water is one the most important responsibilities we have to ensure our planet serves all inhabitants well.

16 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 he shipping industry, which ation, and millions of jobs in thousands accounts for more than 90 of sectors, everywhere on earth. Aegean percent of the world’s cargo, News explores some of the ways the Tplays a central role as a steward of our shipping industry engages everyday seaways. Today, our knowledge of the in keeping our seas and waterways interaction between human activity safe and clean by presenting some key and natural processes mandates that we elements of the IMO’s (International work collectively to preserve our com- Maritime Association) platforms, pro- mon resource that serves all of human- grams and policies. The IMO is the ity. Shipping has a special role to play as United Nations specialized agency with clean waterways ensure the industry’s responsibility for the safety and security future—and a necessary source of our of shipping and the prevention of ma- water for everyday use, food, recre- rine pollution by ships.

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 17 SHIPPING

Pollution Prevention Other treaties address anti-fouling as from routine tank cleaning opera- In 1973, IMO adopted the Interna- systems used on ships, the transfer tions, has also been cut. tional Convention for the Prevention of alien species by ships’ ballast water of Pollution from Ships, now known and the environmentally sound recy- Sewage universally as MARPOL, which has cling of ships. The discharge of raw sewage into the been amended by the Protocols of sea can create a health hazard. Sewage 1978 and 1997 and kept updated with Tankers can also lead to oxygen depletion and relevant amendments. The MAR- Oil tankers transport some 2,900 mil- can be an obvious visual pollution in POL Convention addresses pollution lion tons of crude oil and oil products coastal areas - a major problem for from ships by oil; by noxious liquid every year around the world by sea. countries with tourist industries. substances carried in bulk; harmful Most of the time, oil is transported The main sources of human-pro- substances carried by sea in packaged quietly and safely. duced sewage are land-based - such as form; sewage, garbage; and the pre- Measures introduced by IMO have municipal sewers or treatment plants. vention of air pollution from ships. helped ensure that the majority of oil However, the discharge of sewage into MARPOL has greatly contributed to a tankers are safely built and operated the sea from ships also contributes to significant decrease in pollution from and are constructed to reduce the marine pollution. international shipping and applies to amount of oil spilled in the event of an It is generally considered that on 99% of the world’s merchant tonnage. accident. Operational pollution, such the high seas, the oceans are capable of assimilating and dealing with raw sewage through natural bacterial action. Therefore, the regulations in Annex IV of MARPOL prohibit the discharge of sewage into the sea within a specified distance from the near- est land, unless otherwise provided. Governments are required to ensure the provision of adequate reception facilities at ports and terminals for the reception of sewage, without causing delay to ships. Garbage Garbage from ships can be just as dead- ly to marine life as oil or chemicals. The greatest danger comes from plastic, which can float for years. Fish and marine mammals can in some cases mis- take plastics for food and they can also become trapped in plastic ropes, nets, bags and other items - even such innoc- uous items as the plastic rings used to hold cans of beer and drinks together. The revised Annex V now generally prohibits the discharge of all garbage into the sea, except as provided otherwise in regulations 4, 5, and 6 of the Annex, which are related to food waste, cargo residues, cleaning agents and additives and animal carcasses.

18 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 Reception facilities lution incidents involving oil and haz- to establish a reproductive population The effectiveness of ships to comply ardous and noxious substances (HNS). in the host environment, becoming with the discharge requirements of invasive, out-competing native species MARPOL depends largely upon the OPRC 90 and multiplying into pest proportions. availability of adequate port reception The International Convention on Oil facilities, especially within special Pollution Preparedness, Response Human Element areas. Hence, the Annex also obliges and Co-operation 1990 (OPRC 90) In 1997, IMO adopted a resolution set- governments to ensure the provision is the international instrument that ting out its vision, principles and goals of adequate reception facilities at ports provides a framework designed to for the human element. The human el- and terminals for the reception of gar- facilitate international co-operation ement is a complex multi-dimensional bage without causing undue delay to and mutual assistance in preparing for issue that affects maritime safety, secu- ships, and according to the needs of the and responding to major oil pollution rity and marine environmental protec- ships using them. incidents and requires states to plan tion involving the entire spectrum of and prepare by developing national human activities performed by ships' Special areas systems for pollution response in their crews, shore based management, reg- The special areas established under respective countries, and by maintain- ulatory bodies and others. All need to Annex V are: ing adequate capacity and resources to co-operate to address human element • the Mediterranean Sea area address oil pollution emergencies issues effectively. • the Baltic Sea area Since the 1980s, IMO has increas- • the Black Sea area Ballast water ingly addressed the people involved in • the Red Sea area Ballast water is essential for safe and ef- shipping in its work. In 1989, IMO • the Gulfs area ficient modern shipping operations, it adopted Guidelines on management • the North Sea area may pose serious ecological, economic for the safe operation of ships and for • the Wider Caribbean Region and and health problems due to the multi- pollution prevention - the forerunner • the Antarctic area tude of marine species carried in ships’ of what became the International Good prevention initiatives can go ballast water. These include bacteria, Safety Management (ISM) Code which a long way in reducing the risk of pol- microbes, small invertebrates, eggs, was made mandatory through the In- lution from ships. However, in spite of cysts and larvae of various species. ternational Convention for the Safety best efforts, spills will inevitably occur. The transferred species may survive of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS). When this happens, it is necessary to ensure that effective preparedness To see the IMO’s new website measures are in place that will ensure on the marine environment for children visit a timely and coordinated response to http://kids.imo.org/ limit the adverse consequences of pol-

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 19 THE ENVIRONMENT

Our Marine Ecosystem

20 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 What is an Ecosystem?

• The interaction of animals, plants and their environment is known as an “ecosystem”, and the study of how they interact, for example, what sort of animals you might find in a particular environment, is called “ecology”. • Planet Earth is one big ecosystem that can be divided down into smaller, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, as well as smaller ecosystems like rainforests and coral reefs. • Ecosystems are finely balanced; they are very complex and made up of many parts, but every part of an ecosystem, from a rock to a jellyfish to a particular water current, has a role to play. • Organisms depend on and are controlled by the physical and chemical environmental conditions in an ecosystem, and they Our Marine can also change their environments in various ways. • By changing one part of an ecosystem, the whole ecosystem can change – a common example of this is changing the nu- trient input (chemical conditions) in a water body, leading to Ecosystem eutrophication. The Marine Ecosystem

• The marine ecosystem is the largest ecosystem after the whole of Planet Earth because water accounts for more than 70 percent of Earth’s surface. • Our oceans and seas account for more than 97 percent of that. • The marine ecosystem can be divided into smaller ecosystems, such as rocky shores and submarine canyons. • Scientists find out as much as possible about ecosystems all over Earth in order to protect them. • Humans can have large, negative impacts on ecosystems. • Some fishing practices, like bottom trawling, can destroy vul- nerable ecosystems such as cold-water coral reefs. • Cold-water coral reefs support an enormous amount of life and diversity and can be important nurseries for young fish. • Corals could be important sources of medicines to treat human diseases like cancer, so it's important that we learn as much as possible about ecosystems like these and in particular what they have to offer and how we are affecting them.

Readers are urged to download the free Aegean News iPad app (https:// itunes.apple.com/gr/app/aegean-news-for-ipad/id666432107?mt=8) and read about the many contributions of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to marine biodiversity

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 21 THE AEGEAN INTERVIEW

HELMEPA— Saving Our Seas!

Dr. George A. Gratsos, Chairman of HELMEPA, speaks to Aegean News about the pioneering initiative begun in Greece more than 25 years ago within the shipping community that focuses on our common heritage—our seas and oceans.

What is the objective of HELMEPA? How does HELMEPA carry out its mission? HELMEPA began in 1982 as a progressive, even provoca- By complementing the regulatory level with a high level tive idea, to engage the stakeholders of shipping—owners, of environmental consciousness achieved through educa- operators, and seafarers together—in a unified effort to tion and information of all sectors of the industry, from protect our seas. Since then, we have been concerned with shipowner to seaman. In addition, one of the most pivotal the human element of the maritime community acquiring of our initiatives is HELMEPA Junior, a program that has an environmental consciousness and a spirit of safety to- engaged more than 100,000 youth who attend our events ward achieving quality shipping, always in the service of and learn how they too can become responsible stewards humankind. of our seas. The voluntary efforts of our nation’s teachers is central to this task, who understand that instilling a sense of pride, ownership and responsibility at a young age can We all recognize the oceans and seas have dramatic, long-term effects on our environment. Another aspect of our mission is marine education and serve all of humanity in a wide number we are privileged to offer education in a number of areas in- of ways and it is our individual and group cluding, for instance, Bridge Simulator and other seminars, to seamen. So we can say that education—a hallmark of responsibility to ensure their sustainability Greek society at any rate—is the cornerstone to our efforts.

How has shipping, in relation to pollution, changed since Who are its members? HELMEPA was founded? The unique composition of HELMEPA includes ship- Many regulations of the International Maritime Orga- owners, operators, managers and other companies or nization (IMO) have been adopted since 1982, when institutions associated with shipping, masters, deck and HELMEPA was voluntarily established in Piraeus. Accord- engineer officers and seamen, representing the historic ing to data published by IMO, less that 10 percent of global shipping community of Greece, operating and controlling ocean pollution , of all sorts of pollutants, today is due to millions of gross tons of commercial shipping, voluntar- maritime activities, whereas the remainder comes into the ily committing themselves to eliminate ship-generated seas from shore-based sources. marine pollution. We are especially proud that all stake- But of course the greatest change has been in the won- holders willingly come together for this necessary and derfully positive attitude among shipowners and seafar- important objective. ers over the years. To witness how our members have

22 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 embraced environmental responsibility is a huge reward for our efforts. After all, we all recognize the oceans and seas serve all of humanity in a wide number of ways and it is our individual and group responsibility to ensure their sustainability.

How would you characterize the state of the Mediterranean Sea today? According to the United Nations Environment Program Report (UNEP), oil pollution discharged into the Medi- terranean Sea in the 1980s was annually about 4 million tons from all sources. Today, this pollution has been reduced to 370,000 tons per year from all sources. Please note that, at the same time, the total world commercial fleet in 1982 was 8,927 ships of about 526,687,545 tdw, whereas in 2015 it was 24,607 ships of 1,285,586.000 tdw. To round these off, we can use the 1982 number as above 9,000 ships of about 530 mtdw and the 2015 number of 25,000 ships of about 1,300 mtdw.

What are the greatest challenges the Mediterranean faces? The Mediterranean has uneven levels of infrastructure development and is challenged by a number of diverse situ- ations. Demographically, there is an ever-increasing number of population centers established along coastal zones where many cities lack sewage treatment plants as well as Dr. George A. Gratsos adequate shore facilities for ships’ waste. This is being addressed systematically but requires time—and funds—for all areas to install adequate infrastructure. In Greece for In Greece we see dramatic improvements instance, we see dramatic improvements in our port re- in our port reception facilities, witnessed, ception facilities, witnessed, in fact, by the new facilities of in fact, by the new facilities of Aegean’s Aegean’s Hellenic Environmental Center in Piraeus, said to be a state-of-the-art installation. Hellenic Environmental Center in Piraeus, Another area of concern cited is invasive species, mostly said to be a state-of-the-art installation entering via the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar, and marine litter, especially plastic. Plastic is one of the most prevalent forms of marine litter and if we can make more progress in this one area alone that would be commendable. Are you optimistic about the future of our seas and the role of shipping in improving the marine environment? How can individuals and companies become better stewards I am indeed and all humans sensitive about the future for of our seas? the generations to follow should be optimistic about the The first step is by having proper information so we all future of the seas, for which they must become proactively know what is at stake and why it is so important. Armed involved. As for shipping itself, I strongly believe that it will with the right information, individuals interacting with continue reducing its environmental footprint with the our seas, for leisure or for work, personally or profession- high level of responsibility and consistency it has demon- ally, can become involved in the general effort to keep strated so far. seas both clean and safe. It is key that they also see the To learn more about HELMEPA and HELMEPA Junior visit the website at www.helmepa.gr/ clear benefit for themselves, their families, children, col- en/home.php. The website has a variety of resources for both adults and children and lists leagues or friends. the upcoming seminars on offer.

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 23 STATIONS OF THE MONTH An Unbreakable Bond with the Customers Ioannis Maris, Heraklion, Crete

Mr. Maris’ service station is centrally located in Heraklion, Crete. He spoke to Aegean News about his business and his experience working in the field of fuel.

Mr. Maris’ service station Talk to us a bit about your business and your area. Our service station is located on 62 Martyrs Avenue, one of the busiest commercial streets in Heraklion. It is a modern station that includes a car wash and a convenience store with an empha- sis on car accessories and lubricants. We also operate a coffee and snack bar on the premises. We employ a staff of nine.

Have you been in the fuel business for 164 62 MARTYRS AVENUE a long time? When did you open this HERAKLION, CRETE | 35.332149,25.113058 service station? In 1992 we opened this privately owned Heraklion is the largest city of Crete and the largest port of the island. Located service station. For 25 years we have on the north coast of Crete opposite the isle of Zeus, Heraklion is built where the westernmost of the three ancient Knossos ports was located in the period of the been building an unbreakable bond Minoan civilization, which had the greatest concentration of population in Crete. with the public of Heraklion and neighboring towns.

When did your collaboration with Ae- With targeted and excellent cellent in all respects. The company is gean start? service and the experience we always beside us whenever a problem August, 2014. may arise and always provides the have accumulated over the best possible solution. After 25 years How did you decide to join the Aegean years, we have managed to in the field, I dare say that this is the network? best collaboration I have had with an The communication with company have a broad customer base oil company. executives, the family climate, but mainly the direct contact with Mr. with our customers. With targeted and How does your clientele respond to the Melissanidis were the critical factors excellent service, and the experience Aegean brand? that made me make the decision to we have accumulated over the years, Approximately two and-a-half years join the Aegean retail network. we have managed to have a broad ago, when our collaboration began, customer base that includes large en- Aegean was not widely known in Tell us a few words about your cus- terprises, municipalities, businesses, as Crete and more specifically in the tomer base. well as a lot of young car owners. Heraklion Prefecture. But over time, For 25 years we have offered our ser- customers have learned to trust Aege- vices to the people of Heraklion and How is your collaboration with Aegean an for the quality of its products and neighboring municipalities, building today? services, and classify it amongst the with great effort a relationship of trust Our partnership with Aegean is ex- major brands.

24 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 Words that Withstand Time Vassilis Papaemmanouil, Alexandria, Imathia

Mr. Papaemmanouil’s service station is located in the Vryssaki region of Alexandria in the prefecture of Imathia. Mr. Vassilis talked to Aegean News about his business.

The service station of Mr. Papaemmanouil Please talk to us about your area and your customer base. Our service station is located in a busy location, on the old provincial road. Before the construction of the Egnatia highway, this provincial road was the only way to travel from Veria to Thes- saloniki. Our customers are locals and travelers heading to ancient Pella.

How long have you been operating this service station? Talk to us about your business. We own two service stations. This is the new one, which opened just before the holidays. We sell all kinds of fuel, aside from heating oil (as we of- ALEXANDRIA, IMATHIA fer this service at our other location in VRYSSAKI | 40.623673,22.420040 Built amidst the great plains of central Macedonia, the city of Alexandria is the largest town and the administrative center of the municipality by the same name. It I was coming to my father's is the third largest municipality in Imathia, nearing in population the second largest business initially as a game city, Naoussa. The city is growing rapidly due to its proximity to Thessaloniki. and eventually it became a profession. I have loved this I was coming to my father's business join the Aegean retail network? place since childhood. initially as a game and eventually it Because of Iakovos Melissanidis. He became a profession. I have loved this visited us in person. He shook hands Alexandria) and we employ a staff of place since childhood. with my father. The words he said back four. There is also a carwash, a lubri- then and still hold true to this day. cants station, as well as a weighbridge How long have you been collaborating and a scale for cars on the premises. with Aegean? What is your impression of your col- All in all, this is a full-service station We have been working with Aegean laboration with Aegean so far? for cars and trucks. for about 15 years, since about the be- Our work relationship is excellent. ginning of Aegean retail. I believe that And how long have you been in the fuel ours was one of the first Aegean service What do your customers think of Ae- business? stations in the region of Macedonia. gean products? I have been around the fuel business Thank God we are doing well. Our since eight years old and now I am 33! How did you come to the decision to customers are satisfied.

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 25 MARITIME TRADITION “Voyage” Greek Shipbuilding and Seafaring from Antiquity to Modern Times

Under the Auspices of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, the Herakleidon Museum presents the history of Greek seafaring in the Aegean and the Mediterranean. The exhibition showcases a history of maritime voyages, achievements in naval architecture, exchange of ideas and technological developments, through about 40 handmade wooden models of Greek ships of excellent, detailed construction with authentic materials, based on naval architectural drawings, following traditional methods, which date from prehistoric times to the middle of the 20th century.

he goal of the exhibition is painter-printmaker Mary Schina, as- to the most recent international re- to present to the visitors, in a sociate professor of the Printmaking search, functions of the mechanism, coherent and comprehensible department of the Athens School of on a model created for this purpose. Tmanner, the history of Greek seafar- Fine Arts, is participating in this exhi- Maps, video projections, explanatory ing and shipbuilding, giving them a bition with selected works inspired by drawings by the archaeologist Yian- chance to take a mental trip back in the Aegean Sea. nis Nakas, and other material, such as time to discover the close and time- The exhibition also includes nauti- a special edition catalogue in two less relationship of the Greek people cal instruments, as well as a special languages (English/Greek), further with the sea. section οn the Antikythera Mecha- complement the exhibition, aiming The creator of these models is nism ("An Ancient Greek Com- to help visitors understand the sub- Dimitris Maras, M.Sc. in Mechanical puter"). During the interactive guided ject and goal of the exhibition by cre- Engineering and model shipbuilder, tours, visitors will be able to experi- ating the appropriate museum envi- who has studied in depth the ship- ment with all the known, according ronment.

building history of Greece, as well as We would like to thank the Herakleidon Museum for kindly providing the material for this article. the construction of ship models. The For more information visit the website of the museum at http://herakleidon-art.gr/

26 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 TRAVEL WITH AEGEAN

Ioannina Built in the northwestern part of the mainland, the city of Ioannina lies at an altitude of about 500 meters above sea level on the western shore of Lake Pamvotis. Ioannina, known also as Giannina, is the capital and largest city of Epirus, an Must See Isle of Lake Pamvotis One of the most notable administrative region in northwestern Greece. attractions of Ioannina is Ioannina Island in Lake Pamvotis. The island's official name is "Nisos Ioanninon" (Island of Ioannina). Passen- gers can travel by ferry to the island to visit the small settlement and various monuments and lthough the first indications of human existence in the Ioannina attractions, such as the final resting place of basin date back to the Paleolithic period (20,000 years ago), ac- Ali Pasha. cording to findings in the cavern of Kastritsa, Byzantine Emperor Ioannina Castle The castle of Ioannina con- AJustinian founded the town of Ioannina in the 6th century AD. The exact tains the Fetihe Mosque, the tomb of Ali time of the town's foundation is unknown, but an unnamed new, "well-for- Pasha, the Byzantine Museum and the Silver- tified" city, recorded by the historian Procopius (around 527 AD) as having smith exhibition hall. been built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian for the inhabitants of ancient Aslan Pasha Mosque The Aslan Pasha Mosque Euroia, is sometimes identified with Ioannina. is located in the Acropolis of Ioannina and The history of Ioannina extends through Byzantine and post-Byzantine today houses the Municipal Museum, which is divided into the Greek, Jewish and Muslim sec- times, as well as during the Ottoman occupation and the modern Greek tions. The Museum showcases local costumes, enlightenment era. The town played a very important role in the Revolu- textiles, woodcarvings, silverware and other tion of 1821 and in later Greek history. As a result, the current city presents items. One artifact that stands out is the Dama- a unique mix of cultures that is particularly attractive to visitors. scene sword of Georgios Karaiskakis. Jewish Synagogue of Ioannina The “An- cient Holy Jewish Synagogue of Ioannina” is located within the walls of the Castle of Ioannina and is one of the largest synagogues in Greece. The Jewish community of Ioannina dates back to the Byzantine era. The Loulis Arcade In this commercial center Christians, Jews and Muslims have co-existed for many years. Initially the gallery operated as an inn and then became a commercial center. The National Archaeological Museum of Ioannina Built on Litharitsia Castle Square, the museum includes archaeological exhibits from four regional units of Epirus. Renovated in 2008-2010, the museum showcases the history of Epirus from prehistoric times through the 19th century. Aegean service station

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 27 CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT I Pr otect the Environmen I Safeguar t d my Future By staying informed about wha happening in the world and by past is the informa sing tion on to others, we ar taking a signi ca e nt step toward protection of our planet. the • I BECO ME INFORMED • I INFORM OTHERS • I AT

The Vikos–Aoös National Park

The Vikos–Aoös National Park is an area of incomparable natural beauty, north of the town of Ioannina, in the Zagori area of the region of Epirus in northwestern Greece. The area was declared officially a national park in 1973, and is part of the Natura 2000 ecological network and is a UNESCO Geopark, that stands out for its dramatic variation in landscape characterized by lush and steep cliffs. The Vikos-Aoös area, which is one of the ten national parks in Greece, comprises the spectacular Vikos Gorge, carved by the Voidomatis River, the Aoös Gorge, Mount Tymfi, and a number of traditionally preserved settlements.

28 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 Vikos Gorge To the west of the park lies the Vikos Gorge that crosses the western and central Zagori region, starting north of the village Vikos and ending at the villages Koukouli and Kipi. The canyon stretches for 12 kilometers and has been recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the gorge with the smallest opening worldwide. Additionally, with a depth of over 1,000 meters Vikos Gorge is the deepest canyon in the world. The width varies from 100 to 1000 meters. The Vikos Gorge has been carved by the Voidomatis River, a tributary of the Aoös River. The Voidomatis is mostly seasonal, with year-round flow occurring only in the lower part of the gorge. Due to its nature, the area of the gorge is precipitous and impassable most of the year.

The Aoös Gorge The Aoös River in the northern part of the park crosses dense vegetation. The river runs down the slopes of Tymfi, Trapezitsa and Radovounio. The length of the gorge is 8 kilometers in total and its width varies from 300 meters to 2.5 kilometers. At the Gravos waterfall lies the historic Stomio Monastery, built in 1774. Characteristic is the great arched Aoös bridge (1780), which marks the northern boundary of the park.

Tymfi On the western slopes of Tymfi lie the traditional settlements of Mikro Papigo and Megalo Papigo. Just above Mikro Papigo, huge majestic rocks, the "Towers of Astraka," dominate the landscape. Travelers to the Tymfi area will encounter lakes of various sizes, Drakolimni being the largest one. Drakolimni Lake is surrounded by the steep peaks of Astraka (2,436 meters) and Gkamila (2, 497 meters). The Tymfi mountain lodge, a meeting point of several hiking trails, is built at a height of 1,950 meters, just below Astraka peak.

Traditional Settlements Small villages with stone traditional residences exist in complete harmony with the unique environment of the national park across the Vikos–Aoös region. The settlements are scattered in the basin of the rivers Voidomatis, Aoös, Vardas and Zagoritikos and are of particular architectural interest, as they retain their traditional character. Bridges, old water mills, and monasteries, like that of St. Ioannis Rogovos, built in 1024 near the village of Tsepelovo, complete the picturesque scenery.

Flora and Fauna The area hosts a large number of plants and herbs. Over 1,700 species and subspecies of plants have been spotted, such as 18 species of geranium and 43 species of clover. At least 50 species of forest trees and shrubs have also been recorded in the park. The dense forests of the park consist of willows, large beeches and poplars. At higher altitudes beech and oak trees dominate the landscape. The fauna of the park includes 24 species of mammals, many of which are endangered: bears, wolves, deer, wild goats, wild boars, lynxes, and martens. In addition, 133 species of birds also live in the area, including eagles, vultures, and hawks, as well as some fish species.

Recreation The area is ideal for hiking and mountaineering. Sporting activities associated with nature are very popular in the park area and include kayaking, rafting and climbing. There are also countless routes that vary from a simple walk to several hours of climbing to the tops of Gkamila. Travellers can find excellent accommodations in almost all the settlements of the area.

WINTER 2016-2017 AEGEAN NEWS 29 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

30 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017 WINTER 2016-2017 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 inter- nationally 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 Pirae- us and Patras, and in Gibraltar, Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, Fujairah, Jamaica, Singapore, Trinidad & Tobago, Vancouver and Montreal, Mexico, Tangiers, Canary Islands, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Los Angeles and Long Beach, Hamburg, the Gulf of Mexico, St. Petersburg, South Africa and Brazil. 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 by ISM, ISPS and MLC as well as with ISO 9001, 14001, 18001 and 50001 and are in complete compliance with SOLAS and MARPOL regulations. Aegean continually adds to its fleet of ships, which transports oil cargoes worldwide on behalf of major oil companies, commercial clients, and Aegean customers. Its new GreenFleet (http://www.greenfleet.gr) incorporates the latest technologies to ensure reduced operating costs and reduced emissions, while increasing overall performance. 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 | www.hec.gr

32 AEGEAN NEWS WINTER 2016-2017