Thenamaris principal Nikolas Martinos set the tone for Posidonia as he addressed guests at the curtain-raising golf event.
“Life is really good right now to all of us,” he told hundreds of employees and business partners at a seaside Athens club on Sunday to celebrate the traditional, pre-Posidonia golf ceremony held by Thenamaris and Costamare, two shipping giants that control far more than 200 ships between them.
“I think it’s safe to say that over the last two years, all of us in shipping have enjoyed some great, great success.”
The Greek shipping scion was quick to add, however, that the world is not entirely trouble-free.
“We have to be conscious of the hardship around us, and our thoughts are always with those at war — particularly with our seafarers, who on many occasions and without prior notice are in the midst of war zones and conflict,” Martinos said.
The two companies’ joint event — held to award prizes for a golf tournament that took place earlier in the day — comes at a memorable juncture for Costamare, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. It was set up in November 1974 by the late Captain Vassilis Konstantakopoulos.
The firm is now led by chief executive Konstantinos “Kostis” Konstantakopoulos, who was present at the event.
Just as this year’s Posidonia exhibition assumed record proportions, so has the golf event, which began in 2010.
“This year’s event has been the most successful and the best attended,” Martinos said, adding: “Actually, it’s so well attended that people are unfortunately still stuck out in traffic.
“I’d like to raise my glass to good health, our golf winners and of course to strong shipping markets.”
Affinity Shipping, Navios, Oil Brokerage and others also hosted parties on Sunday night.
Talk on the beach and pool-side is of abundant capital and where the best opportunities may be with markets likely set fair for at least a couple of years.
