Posidonia 2014 the Party of Aegean

Aegean News THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF AEGEAN SUMMER 2014

Posidonia 2014 The Party of Aegean

HEC Hosts the Annual Euroshore Conference Aegean GreenFleet Posidonia Update 2014 Plus The Global Shipping Flows & Currents Travel with Aegean Community in Athens Επιστροφή σε ευρώ με κάθε σας συναλλαγή

Ενημερωθείτε αναλυτικά για το πρόγραμμα Επιστροφή στο www.epistrofi-eurobank.gr. Aegean editorial Core Activities Posidonia 2014, the premiere global shipping event held in Athens, revealed the evolving dynamic between government, the private sector, and advocacy organiza- Retail tions that we witness in today’s environment. AEGEAN OIL has established a gas station The global economy is changing—nowhere no more network throughout Greece, and is one of the fastest growing companies in the retail evident than in shipping. Relationships are transforming. market. AEGEAN’S gasoline market share in New roles are emerging. Responsibilities are shifting. Greece is 8%. 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 Shipping cannot “go it alone.” At the same time, the private sector, best represented by AEGEAN SHIPPING manages a fleet of tankers, ranging from 3,500DWT to 100,000 shipowners, is stepping up to the plate and raising the bar to improve the ma- DWT, that transfers and delivers oil to our rine industry. clients throughout the world. All ships meet Shipowners are concerned about safety and health. Concerned about the 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. Bunkering In Piraeus, Patras, Gibraltar, Amsterdam-Roter- Posidonia 2014 was a huge success, for governments who rely on the marine dam-Antwerb, Fujarah, Jamaica, Singapore, industry, for organizations who strive to elevate the standards of the shipping Trinidad & Tobago, Portland-Falmouth, Van- sector, and for the nearly 2000 companies—including Aegean and HEC—that couver, Montreal, Mexico, Tanger Med (Mo- rocco), Canary Islands, Panama, Barcelona, participated. Algeciras, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Aegean supports the evolution of shipping via healthy synergies that pursue Norfolk, and Charleston, AEGEAN MARINE higher standards, a better environment, and more satisfied crews. PETROLEUM is a leader in providing the best Such synergies are yet another example of win-win relationships that lift all bunkering services available. AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM is the market leader in bunkering. boats and power all sails. Agency Services Ships from around the world rely on AEGE- AN AGENCY services at Piraeus, Gibraltar, RAYMOND MATERA Publisher 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 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

MY Second place for the Acool Turabi, with Aegean News presents Thousands of guests joined the Aegean the power of Aegean and Lloyds a GreenFleet Update family for one the most popular CY 9 10 20 Posidonia parties

CMY K You're on the move. So are we. CODE: 5169 4 AEGEAN UPDATE 20 POSIDONIA Get Aegean News wherever you are. Summer 2014 The Party of Aegean 9 POSIDONIA CUP Aegean News is published quarterly by AEGEAN Aegean and Lloyd’s at the Podium of the 24 STATIONS OF THE MONTH PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR Posidonia Yacht Race • Panagiotis Hitas, Nea Peramos Raymond Matera • Archonti Kotaidou, Aridea CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Alexandra Loli 10 SHIPPING Aegean News iPad version DESIGN GreenFleet Update 26 MARITIME TRADITION Snack The Aegean Sea and the Origins of Shipping – PRINTING AND BINDING is now available at the app store. Korifi Publications SA 12 HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL Chapter V: The Navy of the Newly Independent Enhanced with video, more photos, OWNER CENTER Greece and the Balkan Wars Aegean The Latest News of HEC 10 Akti Konydli and interactive content! 185 45, Piraeus, Greece 27 TRAVEL WITH ΑEGEAN Tel: +30 210 458 6000 14 FLOWS AND CURRENTS Thassos Fax: +30 210 458 6241 E-Mail: [email protected] Trends and News in the Oil and Energy Fields Websites: www.aegeanoil.gr, www.ampni.com 28 CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT 16 POSIDONIA Creatures of the Sea Comments and suggestions are welcome. The Global Shipping Community in Athens Chapter II: Sharks Aegean News is free of charge and is available, subject to availability, to any interested person or organization. 18 POSIDONIA 30 AEGEAN COLLECTION Aegean at Posidonia 2014 Step Out in Style Please Recycle TIME SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 3 ANYWHERE AEGEAN UPDATE

World Fuel Oil Summit VII 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 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 Palace hotel and examined trends and South Europe, Middle East and Africa, Lloyds; Georgia Panousi, HQSEE Coordinator; Ilias Syrros, HQSEE Manager / C.O.O. opportunities, as well as the main drivers in the global oil and gas mar- Aegean is Awarded ISO22301 kets. Aegean Marine Petroleum was a corporate sponsor. Business Continuity Certification Among the topics covered were the by LRQA global oil and tanker markets, in a presentation by Cargil, the US-based Aegean Shipping Management has become the first Greek shipping company and one of the agribusiness giant, a client of Aegean. first companies worldwide to be awarded the ISO22301 Business Continuity certification Also, Russia’s Rosneft gave a detailed by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). ISO22301 is the international standard for analysis of the Russian fuel oil flows. Business Continuity specifying the requirements for setting up and managing an effective Colossus Maersk Oil Trading present- Business Continuity Management System (BCMS). ed the perspectives on bunker fuel This recent certification is the fifth management system certification awarded to our com- with the new regulations. pany by LRQA, following the ISO 9001:2008 for Quality Management, ISO14001:2004 for Aegean Marine Petroleum was Environmental Management, OHSAS 18001:2007 for Occupational Health & Safety Man- represented by Cargo Trading agement System and ISO50001:2011 for Energy Management. as well as Bunker Sales, namely The certification ceremony was held during the Posidonia exhibition, at the Lloyd's Register Achilleas Tsioufis, Jean Jose Metey, and Aegean's stands, on June 5, 2014. George Melissanidis received the certificate from Kostantina Katri, Loukia Foka, Vassilis Lloyd's Register. At the presentation ceremony Mr. Melissanidis said: "Being the first Greek Exarhopoulos, Panagiotis Kouvedakis, shipping company to achieve Business Continuity ISO 22301 certification we confirm our and Anna-Maria Karakasi. 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 be- comes the first Greek shipping company to receive such a recognition which is a very significant achievement in the highly competitive and international tanker industry.”

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 Jean Jose Metey, Loukia Foka, Anna-Maria Karakasi, Achilleas Tsioufis, Konstantina Katri

4 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014 Antonis Pavlakis, Aegean Human Resources The “Memorial Senna” trophy Panos Seitanidis and Ricardo Teixeira (Formula 1 driver) Manager, with the Petroleum Tournament cup Aegean Sponsors Tribute Petroleum to Ayrton Senna Tournament 2014 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 The petroleum tournament took place world paid tribute to the man many considered the greatest Formula 1 driver on May 13 - 30, 2014 between sever- al industry companies at the Philothei ever. Roland Ratzenberger, who also died at the same track, was also remem- tennis club. Aegean won in the follow- bered during the tribute. ing categories: As part of the celebrations honoring Senna and Ratzenberger during an entire 1. Ping Pong, 2nd place weekend at Imola, the “Memorial Senna,” a commemorative football match D. Panagopoulos between Nazionale Piloti (Formula 1 drivers) and Scuderia Ferrari Club. (SFC 2. Ping Pong, 3rd place won, 3-0) was held at the Romeo Galli Stadium. K. Gelos Players for Nazionale Piloti included the same drivers who played with Ayrton 3. Tennis, Men's Singles, 4th place Senna in Pescara in 1992, including Ricardo Patrese, Andrea De Cesaris, and G. Ziglis Alessandro Nannini. 4. Tennis, Women’s singles 4th place Aegean had the privilege of being the sponsor of the event, watched by Senna E. Panagopoulou fans from around the world and reported on by the global media. Leading per- Aegean, Avin, BP, Chevron, Coral, Eko, sonalities from the world of racing and football attended, including Fernando Greek Petroleum, Greek Fuels Elinoil, Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Ivan Cappeli and Emmanuel Pirro. Jetoil, Revoil, and Petrogaz took part The weekend events included a charity dinner, the naming of a square, the open- in the tournament. ing of a new museum and, to top off festivities, the “Memorial Senna” match. We thank all our colleagues who par- Funds raised during the weekend were donated to the Instituto Ayrton Senna ticipated in the tournament, worthily in Brazil, an institute that helps underprivileged children and is run by Senna’s representing our company. We con- sister, Viviane, an ardent supporter of the Imola events. gratulate them and wish that Aegean Viviane herself unveiled a new Azul Brazilian airplane designed as a commem- always comes back a winner! orative 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. Fol- lowing 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 The Petroleum Tournament participants vital to saving lives and preventing injuries.

SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 5 AEGEAN UPDATE

Aegean Sponsors Monaco Charity Football Match On the eve of the Grand Prix Formula 1 season, Formula 1 personalities joined an impressive Fernando Alonso, twice winner of the World Drivers' roster of internationally known personalities, including Prince Albert II of Monaco, for a chari- Championship, with Prince Albert II of Monaco ty 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 Fernando Alonso holding a personal gift from George Melissanidis, a Cross handcrafted by Russian Monks in a of Aegean and Nazionale Piloti. monastery in Moscow, Κοstas Mastorakis and Mario di Natale 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 Bian- chi 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 Fisichel- la, 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, Felipe Massa (Williams Martini Racing Official Driver) with Nazionale Piloti President, Mario di Natale, and the pilot of the FIA European F3 Series Riccardo Agostini. and Kostas Mastorakis

Voluntary Blood Drive at Aspropyrgos An Equestrian Cretan A scheduled voluntary blood drive took place at Aegean facilities in Aspropyrgos on Visits Aegean June 17, 2014 to support the company’s blood bank. The increased needs of our On May 12, 2014 Evangelos Gramma- country in blood make each phial of blood valuable for a fellow human being. The tikakis, Aegean service station owner following Aegean employees voluntarily donated blood: Georgios Gakis, Charalampos in Crete (Kartero, Heraklion), visited the Giotis, Timotheos Dimisianos, Miltiadis Eleftherakos, Panagiotis Kalogeropoulos, headquarters of Aegean in Piraeus. Panagiotis Kolympiris, Zafiris Kyrmpeis, Kyriakos Bountzikas, Angelos Nikas, Apart from the service station, Mr. Gram- Paraskevas Paraskevas, Antonis Pavlakis, Dionysis Symeoforidis, Konstantinos matikakis owns the Equestrian Club of Floudopoulos, Konstantinos Skalas, Konstantinos Papadakis, and Vassilios Boustas. Heraklion, where he breeds and trains horses and teaches competitive and thera- peutic 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 Aegean Delivers Fuel To The World Largest Classic Cars of the Tour Amical Club on the streets of Greece Cruise Ship Aegean Sponsors Tour Amical Rally The world's largest and youngest cruise ship, the Regal Princess The Belgian Classic Car Club Tour Amical (Princess Cruises) sailed into the Port organized a race in Greece, which took place of Piraeus this past May. on May 8-14, 2014. The Thessaloniki-Ath- The Regal Princess set off on her ens-Thessaloniki Tour Amical Rally was spon- maiden voyage on May 20 from sored by Aegean. Venice and is expected to tour the The race started in Thessaloniki. The 172 cars Greek islands and the Mediterranean that participated, divided into four groups through October 17, before heading (Red, Blue, Inter and GT), visited Delphi, to Florida for her official naming in Olympia, Parga, Patra, the Athens Circuit at November and then embarking on a Megara, where they did a few laps, and Volos, Caribbean cruise. as they made their way to Athens and then back to Thessaloniki. In Athens the The 142,229 GT vessel has a capac- cars were parked in Panathinaikon Stadium and at Syntagma Square, whereas ity of 3,560 passengers and 1,346 in Thessaloniki they were displayed in front of the Macedonia Palace hotel. The crew, with amenities including 1,780 Tour Amical Rally gave car enthusiasts the rare opportunity to admire classic staterooms, 17 decks, 16 bars and cars such as, among others, a pre-war Bentley, Rolls Royce and Aston Martin, restaurants and a luxury spa. Porsche, Chevrolet, MG, Austin Healey, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes SL, Corvette, Aegean supplied the cruise ship with Stingray, Citroen, and Maserati. fuel at the port of Piraeus on May 27, The Belgian Classic Car Club Tour Amical organized an excellent event, as 2014. they planned and anticipated every last detail so that there would be no incon- venience 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 Aegean News for iPad Wins Award New Employees The following employees have joined the The iPad version of Aegean News was awarded Bronze for Best Tablet in Custom Publishing Aegean work force. 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 AEGEAN SHIPPING MANAGEMENT Nikolaos Fournaris achievement in digital media. Aegean News for iPad was recognized for its excellence in Maria Deligiorgi layout, multimedia features, and content in the custom media category. Raymond Matera, AEGEAN BUNKERING SERVICES publisher and editor of Aegean News, said, “it is a great honor for us to be recognized in Olga Koraki this challenging category. Aegean’s commitment to excellence in its corporate publication— AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM Aegean News—has enabled us to publish a magazine that is highly respected, not only in the Spyridon Vradis shipping and energy industry, but in the media world as well. Congratulations to all.”

SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 7 AEGEAN UPDATE

Haris Sapountzakis, President of the Sparta of Asia Minor Union and Dimitris Melissanidis The Sparta of Asia Minor Union Honors AEK and Dimitris Yiannis Maniatis, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, and Apostolos Rizakos, CEO of Aegean Marine Petroleum Melissanidis Diamonds of the Greek Economy 2014 As part of the annual festival, the Sparta of Asia Minor Union honored During the annual Diamonds of the Greek Economy event, which was organized in 2014 AEK on its 90th anniversary and by Active Business Publishing at Radisson Blu Park Hotel Athens, the organizers, who had Dimitris Melissanidis for his decision evaluated 7,000 companies from the industry and commercial sectors, awarded the 283 to name the new stadium of the team healthier businesses. "Hagia Sophia," as well as for housing The organizers honored Dimitris Melissanidis in a crowded room with over 450 people, in- their historical memories of Eastern cluding presidents, CEOs and senior executives of major Greek and multinational companies. homelands in the museum that is to Apostolos Rizakos accepted the award on behalf of Mr. Melissanidis, and said: "We aim to be built by the stadium. serve the goals of this Greek company on an international level. You said that we are the The Metropolitan Sotirios of Pisidia biggest provider of fuel in the world. We are present in 50 ports around the world; we have (which oversees Sparta of Asia Minor) 65 tanker ships and deliver 1,000,000 tons of fuel every month; we refuel 80 to 90 times attended the event representing the every day, employ a staff of 1,300, and have an annual turnover of around $8 billion. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos. headquarters of the company are located in Greece, where we plan our future development. The mayor of Nea Ionia Iraklis Our latest move is the acquisition of the U.S. east coast bunkering operations of Hess Corp, a Gkotsis, candidate mayors and town company that has developed a powerful fuel supply network on the East Coast of the United councilors from various political par- States of America." ties, the Member of the Parliament representing the prefecture of Cyclades Panagiotis Rigas, representatives of refugee associations, members of the Sparta of Asia Minor The Icon of Panagia Soumela in Nikea Union, and many people from the area Thousands of Pontians, friends and gener- were also present. ations of descendants of Pontos responded During the ceremony the guests were to the invitation of the Pontian Association both impressed by and became emo- of Nikea-Korydallos and met again this tional with a video of the old stadium of AEK and the construction of the year in mid-June in a festive atmosphere at new stadium. Katrakeio Theatre in Nikea. Numerous people filled the hall where The procession of the Holy Icon of Panagia Sumela During the three-day celebration dozens of Vermio the Sparta of Asia Minor Union held of dance groups and artists entertained the the ceremony, showing their love for guests, who came from the entire prefecture of Attica. The festival began with AEK and their anticipation to see the arrival of the Holy Icon of Panagia Soumela at the temple of Agii Apostoli their team return to its historic site in Nikea. The Holy Icon was greeted by a military contingent and the Metropol- and live new days of glory at the itan Alexios of Nikea led the procession followed by local authorities, Pontian "Hagia Sophia" stadium. unions and crowds of worshipers.

8 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014 POSIDONIA CUP 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.

Acool Turabi he 13 nautical-mile regatta IRC category and completed the 13 started at 1pm on Friday and nautical-mile route in one hour and evolved into a unique and dif- thirty one minutes. The first vessel to Tficult race because of the strong west- cross the finish line was the Grey Goose to-northwest winds that were blowing Of Rorc (Deloitte). Two minutes later since early that day at a speed of over followed the Acool Turabi and then the 30 knots (6-7 Beaufort). The difficult Abraxas (Thenamaris LNG Inc.). The weather conditions made the race Acool Turabi missed the 1st place to the challenging, but the crews of the 58 Grey Goose Of Rorc by 55'' (after time participating vessels proved capable correction) and finished in 2nd place. and seaworthy. The Posidonia Cup award ceremony The Acool Turabi team, sponsored took place on Friday evening at Lake by Aegean Shipping and Lloyds Reg- Vouliagmeni in an idyllic atmosphere. ister Marine, stood on the podium of Crews exchanged impressions from the Posidonia Cup Yacht Race 2014. the regatta and watched highlights With Antonis Dimitrakopoulos as Emmanuel Pasamichalis, Antonis from the Posidonia Cup 2014 race on skipper and George Melissanidis, Krents, Stylianos Kritikos, Nicholaos TV screens sponsored by Samsung. Apostolos Poulovassilis, Nicholas Damianos, and Iasonas Dimitrako- The evening ended with everyone Brown, Andreas Rakopoulos, Dimitris poulos as crew, the twenty four-meter wishing to reunite and compete again Chochlakis, Leonidas Pelekanakis, bright white boat competed in the in the Posidonia Cup 2016.

SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 9 SHIPPING

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 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 Launching of M/T Green Hellas specification expectations. Following the successful Sea Trials of M/T Green Sky, makers The M/T Green Hellas successfully carried out its Launching carried out a programmed M/E inspection in one representative or Floating Free under the supervision of DNV-GL Class at cylinder unit. All the engine components were found in correct Daesun Shipbuilding & Engineering in Busan, South Korea. order and in excellent working condition. Once again, this result The certification was issued as the vessel was launched reconfirms that our GreenFleet equipment choice uniquely com- without incident. Construction was effected under survey bines technological excellence with ECO advantages. in accordance with the approved drawings, and tightness of Daesun Shipyard delivered M/T Green Sky to her new owners all structural tanks was tested using air pressure. Also, the and managers, on June 27, 2014. The vessel departed on her welding of the bottom and side plating was tested in accor- first voyage mid July, upon the completion of all the required dance with the approved NDT plan and keel sighted, main preparations—completion of crew familiarization, final tests, dimensions, and draught marks were verified. inspections, and audits.

ed anti-piracy measures, at the agreed she discharged her last parcel on June M/T Green Planet: charter party speed. 15, 2014 and after completion of dis- Maiden Voyage Green Planet called at her first discharg- charge was redelivered back to owner’s ing port, Port of Sudan, on May 22, service. M/T Green Planet, the first newbuilding where she discharged part of her cargo All sea passages, maneuvering at sea of Aegean Shipping’s GreenFleet, com- and then she transited Northbound via and ports, transiting Suez Canal, Dar- pleted her maiden voyage successfully. the Suez Canal on May 26. danelles Bosporus as well as loading The vessel was delivered to the charterer On May 28 she arrived at her first Med- and discharging cargo operations ef- for her first cargo, loading at Singapore iterranean port, Mersin, Turkey, and fected during this voyage were carried on April 23, 2014 where she was loaded discharged the second part of the cargo, out smoothly, without any failure of with seven different palm oil cargoes from followed by two more ports in Turkey, her engines, auxiliary machineries and three ports of Malaysia and Indonesia. both within the Sea of Marmara. equipment. All electronic navigational Subsequently, she smoothly crossed the This voyage completed at the Black and communication equipment was in Indian Ocean, having enforced all need- Sea port of Odessa, Ukraine, where excellent working condition.

SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 11 HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

Piraeus Port Authority Annual European Port Awards HEC

Waste Reception Facilities A special ceremony took place on Conference June 12, 2014 at the premises of the Piraeus Port Authority HEC at the Heart of Europe (PPA). PPA awarded HEC with an honorary plaque for its The annual conference of the European Association of Port Waste environmental contribution and Reception Facilities (Euroshore) took place with great success on productive cooperation with PPA.

June 2, 2014 at the Aegean headquarters. The chairman of PPA SA, George Anomeritis, emphasized, while ad- dressing the audience, the importance articipation broke all previous Moreover, the attendees examined, of their partnership with HEC, which records this year, with numer- in detail, the need for expansion of the has been proven successful and awarded by international bodies. Specifically, ous attendees who represented Union to countries in America and ESPO (European Sea Ports Organiza- Ptheir companies that provide ship waste Asia, in order to obtain access to the tion) awarded the PPA yet again with management services to major ports International Maritime Organization the distinction of Green Port, as a con- across Europe (among others Rotter- and this way represent the positions sequence of the accurate and interna- dam, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Bremen, and concerns of port waste reception tionally recognized Waste Reception Antwerp, Southampton, Le Havre, Bar- facilities at the global center of the Facilities HEC provides with the utmost celona, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Bari, Livorno, maritime community. consistence, accountability and integ- and Piraeus) and Nigeria. At the end of the conference, HEC rity for the last 20 years. During the conference the partic- hosted a dinner and organized a tour ipants discussed all the latest legisla- at the port of Piraeus by boat. There tive developments and trends in both were references to the infrastructure of the relevant Committees of the Eu- the port of Piraeus, data in regards to ropean Union (Environment, Trans- port traffic, its role in the development port, Fisheries) and the respective of the economy, and its long history. port management authorities. The Finally, the participants visited the speakers also presented innovative HEC oil waste treatment facilities, experimental studies and applications which are the largest units in Europe

of new technologies, which focused in terms of production capacity and Panagiotis Stamatogiannis, HEC Chairman; Panagiotis mainly on the current critical issue of the diversity of incoming waste. Petroulis, PPA SA Deputy CEO; Stavros Chatzakos, PPA SA General Manager; George Anomeritis, PPA SA management of produced gases from All participants congratulated HEC President and CEO ships in ports. on a conference well organized.

12 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014 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 Pi- raeus-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 inten- tion to participate actively in the effort to protect the environment.

Antonis Pavlakis, Yiannis Agiostratitis, Konstantina Valsamidou and Konstantina Valsamidou, Rania Atmatzidou - Agiostratiti, Antonis Rania Atmatzidou - Agiostratiti Pavlakis and Marika Valsamidou

SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 13 FLOWS AND CURRENTS

Modernizing the Shipping Industry 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 Fo- rum 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, International in terms of rising sea levels, as well as issues of energy efficiency and fuel types, Day of the corporate transparency, alternative technologies in ship design and construction, shifts in global trade, and global governance and regulation. Seafarer 2014 Industries can change if they decide to do so and invest accordingly, with the help of organizations like the SSI. International Day of the Seafarer Πηγή: Lloyd’s Register 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 cam- Hydropower May be Great for paign with a twist. As highlighted by the announcement of the IMO, Humans, but Not So Great for Fish 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 Hydropower is the power of water that flows downhill to power turbines and is a convenient, #thankyouseafarers clean and renewable source of energy. Nevertheless, aside from the fact that dams alter http://dayoftheseafarer2014.imo.org/ 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.

14 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014 New Environmental Laws 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 Hellenic-Owned Fleet Keeps Growing environmentally-friendly. According to the latest annual review of the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS), the role of Use Cleaner Fuel Greece’s maritime industry’s contribution to the economy is more important than ever due to One of the first big expenses will be the growing numbers of the Hellenic-owned fleet, which has returned to the top in terms of its for cleaner fuel that can cost up to global share. 50% more. Ships used to burn the In 2013, despite the recession, the Greek owned fleet increased in tonnage (dwt) and in num- cheap byproduct, that is left over when ber of vessels. The Greek register accounted for 802 vessels (over 1,000 gt) amounting to oil is refined. The fine soot that such 41,829,594 gt. Greek-owned tonnage held first position internationally. The fleet accounted fuel gives off can cause premature for 3,669 vessels (ships greater than 1,000 gt) with 261.63 million deadweight tons, rep- deaths from asthma and heart attacks. resenting 16.16% of total world dwt. The Greek flag fleet ranks seventh internationally (in In 2005 the IMO started to limit the terms of dwt) and second in the European Union (EU) (in terms of gt). sulphur content of maritime fuel, Moreover, by the end of December 2013, newbuilding orders by Greek interests amounted to especially in “emission-control areas” 371 vessels (over 1,000 gt), representing 32.60 million dwt. along heavily populated coasts in North The study concludes that Greek shipping could further support the Greek economy and, due America and Europe. to its size, become a key driver of economic recovery, provided that a stable and competitive Cut Emissions of CO and Other institutional framework is maintained. 2 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 The First Marine Biofuel Plant cars and trucks. Under a convention it The world’s first biomass-based sustainable marine fuel refinery will be con- has brought into force this year, ships structed in Denmark, a facility that will initially produce 50-100,000 tons of bio- will have to introduce fuel-economy fuel per year. This project will be a great example of a public-private partnership measures with the aim of reducing their with significant potential, both for the environment and for business and job emissions by 20% by 2020 and 50% creation. For the construction of this biofuel unit a private company will join by 2050. forces with Aalborg University in the development of new sustainable energy Clean Ships’ Ballast Water solutions. According to a recent study, around The plant will rely on wood as a feedstock, sourced from Russia, Scandinavia, 60,000 ships worldwide would need and potentially Canada. Although the project will at first be established on a refitting with one or more cleansing single feedstock, once this has been achieved, authorities will consider extend- units, costing up to $1.7m each. ing the input range as well as a wider product portfolio.

SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 15 POSIDONIA

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.

Space Visitors Exhibitors Countries Represented National Pavilions Seminars More than 20,000 1,843 93 21 34 35,000m2

Posidonia 2016: June 6-10, Metropolitan Expo, Athens

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2 4 1. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras at Posidonia 2014 3. Cutting the ribbon of Posidonia 2014 2. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Minister of Shipping and the Aegean 4. Dimitris Melissanidis with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Shipping and the Aegean

reece’s Prime Minister Anto- "The Greek fleet is operating 15% in world commerce. nis Samars opened the event with a speech outlining the In the last ten years, Greek ship-owners have built more Gimportance of the maritime industry than 2,500 ocean-going ships, mainly in shipyards of the to Greece and underlining the priority the Greek government places on Far-East. As we speak, a new vessel of Greek ownership is its shipping and maritime resources. being built every two days worldwide." Minister of Merchant Marine and the —Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras Aegean Miltos Varvitsioitis welcomed the international shipping community to Greece. In his address, the Greek Premier commerce. In the last ten years, through the Athens Declaration, said: “In the current Posidonia Exhi- Greek ship-owners have built more launched the redefinition of maritime bition, we already broke the 2012 re- than 2,500 ocean-going ships, mainly policies for the whole of the European cord of participants, as the economic in shipyards of the Far-East. As we Union. With the support of our Greek potential of the Greek commercial speak, a new vessel of Greek own- shipowners, who are succeeding across fleet and the strategic positioning of ership is being built every two days the oceans and whom we are proud of, Greece in future world commerce worldwide”. together with the great Greek seamens’ are gaining power by the day. The He went on to add: “OnlyΟ κ. Γεώργιος few Μελισσανίδηςtradition, στην τελετή we παρουσίασης are relaunching του Πράσινου Στόλου our Greek fleet is operating 15% in world months ago, the Greek Presidency, country starting from the sea”.

SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 17 POSIDONIA

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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

18 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014 Aegean at Posidonia 2014

egean and Hellenic Environ- Cooperation Committee, the Hellenic eties also participated, including DNV mental Center (HEC) were Shortsea Shipowners Association, and GL, the recently merged German-Nor- present with striking booths, the Association of Passenger Shipping wegian outfit and Lloyd’s Register. Awhere executives met and mingled Companies. Nearly 80 companies specializing with visitors from Greece and the Companies from 98 different sec- in technologies that promote environ- world, speaking to company repre- tors, from air emissions control mental sustainability and 45 pollution sentatives, discussing ongoing agree- suppliers to yachting brokers and control specialists were present at this ments and potential partnerships. from blasting equipment providers year’s Posidonia, in line with growing Nearly 20,000 visitors, from 93 to shipchandlers were present this regulatory pressure to eliminate or re- countries attended the event that year, including an unprecedented 250 duce to the barest minimum all adverse hosted 1,843 exhibitors. Posidonia is shipbuilding and repair specialists environmental impacts from ships. sponsored by the Greek Ministry of occupying 1,787 square meters of Aegean and Lloyd’s Register en- Shipping and the Aegean, the Munic- exhibition floor space. Also present joyed success in one of the leading ipality of Piraeus, the Hellenic Cham- were 24 international government off-site exhibition events and placed ber of Shipping, the Union of Greek organizations and institutions. second in the Posidonia Regatta with Shipowners, The Greek Shipping The world’s top 20 classification soci- their entry, Acool Turabi.

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SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 19 POSIDONIA

The Party of Aegean

n Thursday, June 5, 2014, Aegean hosted one the banks, shipowners of major Greek and foreign shipping most popular Posidonia parties held during the bi- companies, Coast Guard officials, well-known artists, sports annual gathering of the global shipping community. personalities and journalists. Aegean’s guests listened to An- OThe founder of Aegean, Dimitris Melissanidis and his tonis Remos and Pantelis Pantelidis, watched a synchronized son George, welcomed the thousands of guests that joined swimming show, a balloon-lofted acrobat, enjoyed a seaside the Aegean family at Balux, a seaside resort club in Glyfada, buffet, and toasted each other well into the wee hours. the Athenian Riviera. Guests included diplomats, multi- Aegean wishes all guests and visitors to Posidonia 2014 national company executives, personalities of the Greek continued success throughout the coming two years and political scene, high ranking executives of Greek and foreign looks forward to Posidonia 2016.

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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 7. Peggy Rizou and Dimitris Rizos

SUMMER 2014 AEGEAN NEWS 21 POSIDONIA

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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 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.

he service station of Mr. Hitas is located at the 33th km of the old TAthens-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 begin- ning, at this new service station, I have Mr. Hitas’ service station been working with Aegean. Then Aegean offered us better prices any of our customers. We do not give and more benefits than the supplier anyone the opportunity to challenge Customers trust us and this we had been working with until then. our products and services. We work makes us more responsible with honesty and integrity. And we How is your cooperation with Aegean? are careful. From the smallest to the and honest towards them Has Aegean met your expectations? largest customer. From one Euro to Have you ever had any complains? one million Euros. We never under- Aegean responds promptly to our estimate anyone. We are always polite Please tell us a few words about your requests. I am very satisfied with the and helpful and maintain an immacu- service station. Do you employ any cooperation between us. All the peo- late service station. From the moment staff? ple I am in contact with are young we took over this station, it has be- We sell gasoline for cars and lubri- and polite. They are flawless in their come one of the best in the field. cants. I also operate my tire shop right deliveries as well as all our other next to the service station. I employ a transactions. I also know Iakovos Me- Is there a lot of competition in you area? staff of two and my family helps me lissanidis personally and the inspector There is a lot of competition, but we out when I need it. in our area. We are a good match! work hard to stay in the game. When we say that we sell someone 1000 li- What made you change suppliers and What is the feedback you get from ters, it is not 999, it is exactly 1000 li- choose Aegean? your customers in regards to Aegean ters. Customers trust us and this Initially I heard good things about Ae- products? makes us more responsible and hon- gean from company representatives. We have never had a complaint from est towards them.

24 AEGEAN NEWS SUMMER 2014 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.

rs. Kotaidou’s service station is centrally located in Aridea. We spoke to Mrs. MKotaidou’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 The service station of Mrs. Kotaidou a decade. When we made the decision to switch, Aegean’s marketing made a What do you sell at your service sta- Apart from seasonal customers who big difference, as well as the fact that tion? come during the summer months, Aegean had a good reputation. They We sell gasoline for cars and lubricants. most of our customers are loyal, be- offered us good prices and the meet- cause the quality of our products and ing with the inspector of the area was Are there many other service stations instrumental to our decision. in your area? Are you experiencing much competition? We try to be as competitive How has your communication with Ae- Competition is indeed stiff. There are as possible and offer low gean been since then? Have you ever seven service stations in the area. had any complaints? prices as much as possible, No, I have never encountered any ma- How do you stay on top of your compe- with the support of Aegean jor complaint regarding the products of tition? Aegean. Nor have I ever had a problem We try to be as competitive as possible and, of course, with great communicating with the company. and offer low prices as much as possi- personal effort ble, with the support of Aegean and, Do you employ any staff at your ser- of course, with great personal effort. vice station? services is steady. The good relation- Currently not. This is a family busi- How does your good relationship with ship we maintain with Aegean is evi- ness. My wife and I operate this ser- your supplier reflect on your relation- dent in our relationship with our cus- vice station. ships with your customers? tomers.

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.

he battle of Navarino (1827) Montenegro), as the only naval force siastically. This is one of the most marked the end of the war, of the Alliance, and contributed deci- celebrated ships of modern Greek with an overwhelming victory sively to victory. maritime history, which participated Tagainst the Turkish-Egyptian fleet, in the victorious naval battles of Elli which ratified the independence of The Armored Cruiser (December 3, 1912) and Lemnos the Greeks. Georgios Averof (January 5, 1913) during the Balkan In 1908, the Greek navy was rein- Wars, as well as many enterprises of The Greek Navy after 1821 forced with four new English and four WWI. This ship gave technological The decision of the first governor of new German destroyers. The armored superiority to the Greek navy. The Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, to cre- cruiser Georgios Averof, which was the Georgios Averof was able to reach a ate a State navy marked the history of Greek fleet flagship until 1951, was maximum speed of 23 knots, which is the modern Greek navy. soon added to these battleships. significant even by today’s standards. The Greek State proceeded with The Georgios Averof was launched It speed, combined with the bold the purchase of the first steam-pow- on February 27, 1910 and on Septem- strategy of Admiral Paul Kountourio- ered vessels, with loans from banks ber, 11, 1911 it arrived at Faliro, tis, allowed the Georgios Averof to in England and America. Later dona- where the Greeks welcomed it enthu- overpower the Turkish fleet. tions of ships from philhellenes and decorated heroes of the war of inde- The armored cruiser Georgios Averof pendence 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 TRAVEL WITH AEGEAN

Must See Archaeological Findings Guests should certainly visit the ancient Agora, the ancient Thassos theater, the Acropolis, and the ruins of the gates of the ancient city in Limenas. Also, Thassos, the "Emerald Isle of the Aegean Sea," situated in the ancient temple and the quarry in Aliki northern Greece, lies opposite the coast of Eastern Macedonia offer great archaeological interest. The Archaeological Museum in Limenas within 18 nautical miles from Kavala and just six miles from the The Archaeological Museum of Thassos in port of Keramoti. 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 he coastline of Thassos reaches 115 km, many of which form unri- findings from various locations in Thassos and discover the ancient culture of the is- valed beaches. Olives, pine trees, fir trees, lindens, cedar trees, and land in its prime. cornels cover the small valleys and mountains of Thassos. It is a lush The Monastery of St. Panteleimon This Tisland, with wood among the main income sources of residents, along with beautiful 18th-century retreat is hidden marble mining, tourism, and the production of honey and olive products. high on the mountains above the villages In ancient times the island had great power and exercised influence over of Kazabiti and Prinos. The celebration in the then known world. The Athenians, Spartans, Persians and Romans memory of St. Panteleimon on July 27 is of called Thassos "Athens of the North", and since the island was rich in min- particular interest, as believers and visitors erals and natural resources, and was strategically located on the main make their way from the mountain village of crossroads that connect East and central Greece, it was always a target for Kazabiti to the monastery where they spend invaders and conquerors. 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 Ortho- doxy, 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 pris- tine 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. Aegean station

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 recog- Meet Geli! nizable and famous sea creatures as the ultimate predators of the oceans. Although most are not dangerous, sharks cause great fear A young and energetic shark is housed in the aquarium that in almost all people. graces the reception of the Aegean Headquarters since last summer. Her name is Geli. How much do you really know about • Geli is a Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus). sharks? • This type of shark is easily recognized by the black tips of its fins. • Fossils show that there were sharks as far back as 450 to 420 • Blacktip reef sharks like Geli inhabit the tropical coral reefs of million years ago. the Indian and Pacific oceans. • Sharks are voracious, carnivorous fish. • These sharks prefer shallow coastal waters and their fin often • Sharks of all sizes have a cartilaginous skeleton. appears over the water. • Sharks have a rough skin covered by dermal denticles (“skin • Blacktip sharks usually reach 1.6 meters in length. Our Geli is teeth”), which work as an outer skeleton. still much smaller! • They are fast and excellent swimmers. • Blacktip reef sharks are viviparous, which means they give • There are about 440 species of shark, sized from 20 centimeters birth to baby sharks. to 15 meters (whale shark). • Females can give birth to 2-5 young ones every six months, • Many known species such as the white shark, the tiger shark, the year, or two years. blue shark, the Mako shark and the hammerhead are top-notch • Blacktip reef sharks are usually shy and timid and are difficult hunters. to approach. • The white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the Great • They rarely pose a threat to humans. White, is a very large shark that swims in coastal waters near the photo: Kydd Pollock/Marine Photobank 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.

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 posi- tioned 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