13 Greeks among the Top 100 most powerful people in the shipping world
For yet another year Lloyd’s has published the list of the Top 100 of the most powerful people in the shipping world and like every year Greek shipowners are present. In the top of the list we find the three managers of the shipping giant Maersk, in the second place, the oil minister of Saudi Arabia, Ali- Al-Naimi, in the third position the president of the China Shipping Group, Xu Lirong, in the fourth place John Fredriksen, owner of Seatankers and in the fifth place John Angelicoussis. In 16th place of the world ranking is the only Greek woman, Angeliki Frangou. Overall in the list we find 13 Greek shipowners.
The 13 Greeks in the list:
1.John Angelicoussis in 5th place from 4th last year
Few would doubt that the Angelicoussis Shipping Group reflects the business personality of its principal, John Angelicoussis, and even a cursory glance underlines a number of key tenets of his approach to shipping. The group has ensured itself a major presence in every sector in which it operates — dry bulk, tankers and LNG carriers — with strong claims to be considered a leader in both scale and operational ability in each sector. The group verges on 100 vessels in the water and another 30 on order.
2. Angeliki Frangou of Navios to 16th place from 15th last year
The past year or so has seen today’s Navios Group — which estimates its enterprise value at $5.5bn — continue to shift its balance from its traditional concentration on dry bulk, with close to three-quarters of its business now to be found in tankers, containerships and logistics.
The first of the group’s four publicly-listed companies, Navios Holdings, has become a diversified investment vehicle with — at November 2015 — stakes of 20% in Navios Partners and 46% in Navios Acquisition, which in turn holds 61% of one year-old Navios Midstream Partners.
3. George Economou to the 17th place from 21st last year
While he may find art more ‘exciting’ than shipping these days, the Greek entrepreneur still displays evidence of a true work ethic. Taking stock of all things in the Economou shipping empire after a tumultuous 2015 is not easy, but the overall trend has been a rebalancing towards the privately held side, and as much as possible away from dry bulk to other types of tonnage.
4. George Prokopiou in 18th place from 25th last year
As one of the world’s biggest independent tanker owners, George Prokopiou endured the lengthy tanker industry slump and company Dynacom Tankers is now reaping the rewards of his faith in the business.
5. Peter C. Livanos, stable in 21st place
Peter G. Livanos stays steady in this year’s rankings, despite the dilution of his influence at hard-charging tanker outfit Euronav.
In November, the shipowner took most people by surprise, apparently including some Euronav insiders, when he sold nine million shares or about 5.7% of the Belgium-based company’s stock.
6. Peter Pappas, who fell to 31st place from 11th last year
Petros Pappas has long been one of the most highly-rated players in Greek shipping, and he vaulted into our 2014 Top 100 largely on the strength of an extraordinary round of consolidation that made his Star Bulk Carriers the largest dry bulk outfit on Wall Street.
7. Nikolas Tsakos climbed to 45th place from 54 last year
As chairman of Intertanko, TEN’s chief executive has led by example when encouraging owners to favour resale acquisitions and avoid speculative newbuildings. Tsakos Energy Navigation and its shareholders have been among the beneficiaries of the tanker market recovery, but being chairman of Intertanko has certainly amplified the influence of TEN’s chief executive, Nikolas P. Tsakos.
8. Peter Georgiopoulos climbed to 47th position from 83rd in 2014
2015 has seen a return to vintage swashbuckling deal-making for Peter Georgiopoulos in all fronts, wet and dry. On the wet front, coming fresh from an acquisition of seven VLCC newbuilding contracts from Scorpio Tankers in 2014, Mr Georgiopoulos doubled down by agreeing to merge General Maritime with Navig8 Crude Tankers in an all-stock deal early in the year.
9. Theodore Veniamis, president of the Union of Greek Shipowners, remained stable in 48th position
Tough and pragmatic negotiator is enjoying a third term at helm of Union of Greek Shipowners. Whatever the fortunes of the sprawling Greek shipping industry may be at any given moment, as president of the Union of Greek Shipowners, Theodore Veniamis is at the heart of the matter.
10. Kostis Konstantakopoulos in 52nd position from 50th last year
The no-froth chief executive has set a solid expansion course but generally scorns hype and leaves the talking to others IN the past two years, Greece-based containership owner Costamare has won an unprecedented ‘double’ at Lloyd’s List’s Global Awards, scooping the 2014 Company of the Year prize and following it with the 2015 Ship Operator of the Year award.
11. Evangelos Marinakis in the 65th position from 81st 2014
Owner has enhanced the standing of his shipping group during a year that has forced others to take backward steps. While a number of master limited partnerships in the shipping space stuttered, Capital Product Partners, the MLP sponsored by Mr Marinakis’ Capital Maritime & Trading group, has expanded its fleet and its drop-down pipeline for the future, as well as being able to announce it will be raising its distribution by 2% to 3% a year for the foreseeable future.
12. Simos Palios in the 88th position from 81st last year
The absolute apex of Mr Palios’ optimism in the company’s earnings calls has been to insist that dry bulk shipping remains subject to laws of supply and demand and that the rule of cyclicality will eventually bring recovery.
13.Dimitris Melissanidis in 98th place against 97th last year
Aegean Marine Petroleum Network, the publicly-listed international marine fuel supplier arm of Dimitris Melissanidis’ Aegean Group, has been on the up lately. Despite lower oil prices, profits have increased and the company has been able to exploit the disappearance of OW Bunker by stepping in and expanding the reach of its business in locations such as the US Gulf and west coast, Hamburg and St Petersburg.
Bill Vlass
-29/06/2017 3:00 pm
NOTHING BETTER THAN THE GREEKS!!!
LEVENDES & A HALF!!!
JOHN VASILAKOS
-04/02/2022 12:49 pm
Greek Shipowners are a fascinating mysterious group