Posted on: 31 January 2024
The annual reception for the cutting of Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee’s Vassilopitta and the celebration for the New Year 2024 took place on 18 January at Staple Inn Hall, London.
The reception was attended by UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at Department for Transport, Lord Davies of Gower, the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the Court of St James’s, Yannis Tsaousis, Deputy High Commissioner of Cyprus, Spyros Miltiades, INTERCARGO Chairman, Dimitris Fafalios, HSSA President, Haralambos Simantonis, and the founder of Posidonia, Themis Vokos, among other distinguished guests. A number of representatives of classification societies, P&I Clubs, maritime institutions of the City of London, law firms and banks, as well as representatives of GSCC Member Offices were present. Last but not least, GSCC Chairman Mr. Haralambos Fafalios and many GSCC Council Members attended the annual celebration.
The Vassilopitta cakes were blessed by Archimandrite Nephon Tsimalis of Great Britain and Thyateira. The three guests to find the lucky coins, a half sovereign, in their cake slices were Thomas Sakellariou of Lloyd’s Register, Deputy High Commissioner of Cyprus Spyros Miltiades, and former GSCC colleague Chryssie Klavdianos.
GSCC Chairman Haralambos J. Fafalios said in his welcome speech that “the world has moved significantly on from the pandemic into an era of several significant wars going on, namely the Ukraine and Gaza.
To add to that we have a regional conflict in Yemen, which very significantly affects our business. Primarily from the perspective of crew safety as well as potentially severing one of the most significant arteries of world trade i.e. the Red Sea and Suez Canal.”
Mr Fafalios highlighted the challenges as the world shipping is trying to adjust to a low carbon environment. “Few realistic solutions at all have been provided by the technology suppliers such as ship and engine builders and the energy suppliers who have still not given us a real low carbon fuel on a well-to-wake basis. This is especially the case for tramp / bulk shipping”, he observed.
“The Greek shipping industry itself, one of two largest in the world, is engaged in a very substantial newbuilding programme in all sectors in order to provide vessels suitable for the future.”
“As the Greek fleet itself carries most of the world’s tramp trade, i.e. dry bulk, gas and tanker, it has to be more versatile than any other fleet and adhere to the requirements of every nation and its legislative conditions. In order to reach a net zero situation sooner rather than later, we urge all those who supply us with ships and fuels to increase their efforts to reach real solutions, to efficiently serve the tramp model.”
“Most importantly, of all our gratitude goes to all our seafarers, who endure so many challenges every day and are rarely appreciated for their hard work”, said Mr Fafalios.
Read in full the GSCC News Bulletin – January 2024.
