The first-ever Agents Meeting of ERMA FIRST hosted in Athens with the aim to celebrate the success of its global agents network and ensure alignment on the group’s vision amid evolving customer requirements.
The inaugural ERMA FIRST Group Agents Meeting, which opens with dinner on the evening of Tuesday, 27 February, sees agents from 22 countries gather at the Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso, Athens. With closed sessions taking place on days two and three – and on-site visits on the final day – the event is exclusively for ERMA FIRST Group employees, agents, and partners.
Founded as a specialist in ballast water treatment systems (BWTS), ERMA FIRST has evolved in line with customer requirements to offer a range of future-proof sustainable maritime solutions including alternative maritime power, data acquisition, energy-saving devices, and carbon capture and storage. As the group’s product offering has expanded, so too has its global reach: the largest manufacturer and supplier of marine equipment in Greece is now also a leader in its field globally.
The group’s international growth has been facilitated by an extensive network of agents – companies and individuals providing ERMA FIRST Group products and services to customers worldwide. The inaugural Agents Meeting is an opportunity for ERMA FIRST to not only celebrate its agents’ contribution but also ensure their alignment on the group’s vision: to continue providing cutting-edge sustainable solutions that anticipate the needs of a fast-changing industry.
Konstantinos Stampedakis, Co-Founder & Managing Director, ERMA FIRST, said: “We are excited to be hosting our inaugural ERMA FIRST Group Agents Meeting, which brings agents from 22 countries together, in our home of Athens, for the very first time. In recent years, we have transitioned from a ballast water management specialist to a sustainable maritime solutions provider, but our commitment to the BWTS segment remains strong, and we continue to develop our offering with future-proof products and services that address evolving customer requirements.” Eleni Polychronopoulou, President, ERMA FIRST, added: “ERMA FIRST is a forward-looking company that draws inspiration from the corporate world while maintaining traditional values as a family-owned business. The inaugural ERMA FIRST Group Agents Meeting, as a large-scale partner meeting that also showcases our Greek heritage and hospitality, is an embodiment of this blended approach. It is also an opportunity to celebrate our shared success, in which everyone attending has played a huge part, and to ensure that we are all working towards the same goals in the years to come.”

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The visit marked a significant step in fostering bilateral relations between Switzerland and Greece, highlighting mutual interests in technology, innovation, and collaboration.
During the visit, Swiss Ambassador had the opportunity to tour Accelleron Greece’s state-of-the-art facilities and service station, engaging in discussions with key stakeholders.

Accelleron Greece has hosted the Swiss Ambassador in its premises beginning of February. The visit served as a testament to the strong bilateral relations between Switzerland and Greece.
Accompanied by Mrs. Joanna Thanasis, Trade Attaché, and Mr. Teodoro Lüscher, Academic intern, the Ambassador Mr. Stefan Estermann engaged in discussions aimed at exploring avenues of cooperation and identifying areas of mutual interest for future collaboration. Accelleron Greece holds a pivotal role in the local shipping industry, aligning closely with Switzerland's values of innovation, sustainability, and excellence.
The agenda of the visit included meetings with Top Management where Ambassador Mr. Stefan Estermann discussed topics of common interest. During the visit, Ambassador Mr. Stefan Estermann had the opportunity to tour Accelleron's state-of-the-art facilities, providing the Ambassador with a firsthand understanding of the organization's operations and impact.
In a statement following the visit, Ambassador Mr. Stefan Estermann noted: "Greece and Switzerland are both key players in the global shipping industry. Accelleron, a Swiss company, showcases Switzerland's significant maritime sector with its production of a powerful engine component. As the industry faces decarbonization challenges, success in addressing these issues is paramount for global trade development. The partnership between Swiss and Greek businesses, represented by Accelleron, highlights the importance of collaboration and innovation in navigating these challenges effectively."
John Smyrneos, Managing Director of Accelleron Greece & Cyprus mentioned: “It was a great honor to us to welcome the Swiss Ambassador to our premises, where we showcased our company's products and services, emphasizing their role in helping customers achieve decarbonization targets. We look forward to our further collaboration with the Swiss Embassy in the future and we thank the Ambassador for his visit."
Dirk Balthasar, Head of Global Sales Service, Switzerland stated " As a Swiss company with global reach, the Greek economy holds significant importance to us due to its global importance in the maritime business and long-standing customer relationships. Our service station in Skaramagkas allows to serve our customers on a global scale. We are grateful for the strong relationship between the Swiss Embassy and our team as this greatly supporting us in pushing forward the development of the global maritime industry together with our customers."
As Accelleron continues to position itself as a hub of technological excellence on the global stage, partnerships of Switzerland and Greece serve as catalysts for progress, fostering cross-border collaboration and driving innovation.

ABOUT ACCELLERON
Accelleron is a global leader in turbocharging technologies and optimization solutions for 0.5 to 80+ MW engines, helping to provide sustainable, efficient, and reliable power to the marine, energy, rail, and off-highway sectors. Through its innovative product offerings and research leadership, the company accelerates the decarbonization of the industries in which it operates. Accelleron has an installed base of approximately 180,000 turbochargers and a network of more than 100 service stations across 50 countries worldwide (www.accelleron-industries.com).

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On Feb 27th, 2024, the Annual General Assembly of LIBERTYSHIP CLUB, took place in the historical space of the SS HELLAS LIBERTY – symbolic of Greek shipping’s continued progress - specifically in the Hall of “Captain Vasilis Konstantakopoulos”.
President Ms. Anna Polemis initiated the General Assembly, welcoming Members and Friends of the Hellas Liberty, as well as journalists.
The following honored the General Assembly with their presence: Captain Kostas Fragkos, Captain Panagio?s Gigis, President of ‘ΠΕΠΕΝ’ (Union of Masters & Mates of the Greek Merchant Marine), Mr. Theodosis Stamatelos of Lloyds Register, Ms. Matoula Antonakou of HELMEPA, Mr. Pantelis Papalimperis of DANAOS, Mr. Theodore Kontes of Majestic International Cruises and many members and friends of the Liberty Group, including journalists.
President Ms. Anna Polemis awarded a commemorative plaque to Honorary President Captain Vagelis Kouzilos for his valuable and longtime service to the Hellas Liberty, which was accepted by his son Mr Michalis Kouzilos.
The President of the Group, Ms. Anna Polemis, proceeded with the presentation of the annual report and the Audit Committee Report for 2023 and the General Manager Mr. Dimitris Sarikavazis, presented the budget and objec?ves of the Group for 2024.
A vote followed for the nomination of five new Board members as per below: Athanasios Beis, Ioannis Drakogiannopoulos, Alexandros Lemonidis, Anna Polemis, George Tsavliris, The Members of the Board will be convening soon in order to formulate the composition of the new Board of Directors.

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Navigator Shipping Consultants is thrilled to introduce the NAVIGATOR ASSEMBLY 2024, themed “Forge the Future”.  The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at Grand Hyatt Athens, commencing at 16:30 hrs.
The Navigator Assembly stands as a distinguished gathering, uniting key decision-makers from prominent Greek shipping companies. It serves as an exclusive platform designed to foster insightful discussions through roundtable sessions, focusing on pivotal topics within the maritime industry. These include Decarbonization, Human Element, Smart Shipping, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), and Maritime Supply Chain.
Participants will have the opportunity to delve into critical industry issues, exchange perspectives, and explore innovative solutions, driving sustainable growth and development within the shipping sector.
Furthermore, the outcomes of the Navigator Assembly 2024 will be unveiled and discussed at the 23rd NAVIGATOR 2024 – THE SHIPPING DECISION MAKERS FORUM, scheduled to be held in Chios & Oinousses from September 20 to 22, 2024.
Navigator Shipping Consultants cordially invites your esteemed company to participate in and contribute to the success of the Navigator Assembly 2024. Registration is open until March 1, 2024. For registration and inquiries, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About NAVIGATOR SHIPPING CONSULTANTS:
Established in 1991, NAVIGATOR has been a mainstay of the Greek shipping sector for more than 30 years, developing a robust network of towing companies and ship agencies around the world, offering tailor made programs to the Ship owning & Ship management companies in more than 1,400 ports worldwide, thus significantly reducing their port costs.
«NAVIGATOR- The Shipping Decision Makers Forum», one of the most traditional shipping events, is organized on an annual basis since 2001, bringing together Shipowners, Executives and Managers of the Shipping Industry worldwide to exchange views and ideas on the most crucial matters of Shipping.

Agenda: https://www.canva.com/design/DAF9_SnaquE/H99E-1ECWRqSEf6x52K8vg/edit?utm_content=DAF9_SnaquE&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

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Celestyal and the Cyprus Maritime Academy signed a Memorandum of Understanding, concerning their collaboration in the field of maritime education. Under the agreement, Celestyal will offer full scholarships to aspiring cadets of the Cyprus Maritime Academy, thus confirming the company’s commitment to train young talent from Cyprus and the wider region on board its ships.
The partnership aims to empower young cadets through training on Celestyal’s new ships, the Celestyal Journey and the Celestyal Discovery, while thanks to the scholarships, the cadets will gain invaluable experience, as they are getting prepared for a successful career in the shipping industry.
Mr. Chris Theophilides, CEO, Celestyal, who is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Cyprus Maritime Academy, stated: “The collaboration with the Cyprus Maritime Academy reflects Celestyal’s firm commitment to maritime education. Through the scholarships, we provide training opportunities on our new ships and nurture Cyprus’s future talent, thus contributing to the development of the wider maritime industry”
“We are excited to embark on this journey with Celestyal and we sincerely thank the company for its support to our Academy and to the cadets who wish to pursue a career at sea”, said Mr. Nicolas Kythreotis, Executive Director of Intercollege and the Cyprus Maritime Academy. “This collaboration comes as a testament of our shared vision for the advancement of maritime education in Cyprus and the cultivation of skilled professionals in the maritime industry”.

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PPA S.A. and Princess Cruises, one of the world’s largest cruise companies, held a special event at the port of Piraeus to celebrate the arrival of the Sun Princess cruise ship and to highlight their significant and extensive collaboration. Princess Cruises, with 17 ships in its fleet, is part of the leading Carnival Group in the cruise industry.
During the event, plaques were exchanged between PPA S.A.’s Deputy CEO Mr. Panagiotis Tsonis and Captain Craig Street of the Sun Princess, welcoming the cruise ship to Piraeus on its maiden voyage. It is worth noting that Sun Princess is scheduled to have 10 arrivals this season, with 7 of them based at the port of Piraeus.
Through steadfast strategic initiatives and targeted investments, Piraeus has become a pivotal hub for cruise travel. In 2023, there was a remarkable 68.6% surge in total cruise passengers compared to 2022, with approximately 1.5 million passengers and 760 cruise ships served. Of these, 75% were homeported, meaning they started their cruise from Piraeus Port, translating to 800,000 passengers—a 110% increase compared to 2022.
Looking ahead to 2024, projections based on schedule, indicate the arrival of over 1000 cruise ships, with 79% choosing Piraeus as their homeport. Mr. Panagiotis Tsonis, Deputy CEO of PPA S.A., commented Piraeus Port for its remarkable advancements in the cruise industry. He underscored Piraeus as a cutting-edge port renowned for its top-tier services, increasingly trusted by prestigious cruise companies worldwide as their preferred base for voyages. PPA S.A.’s strategic cruise planning has yielded substantial benefits for the national economy, tourism industry, and local communities, solidifying Piraeus’ reputation as one of the world’s top ports.
The maiden voyage of the SUN PRINCESS commenced on 28/02/2024, departing from Civitavecchia to Naples, Santorini, Kusadasi, Piraeus, Messina, Mallorca, and Barcelona. This newly constructed cruise ship, powered by LNG, is one of the largest cruise ships ever built in Italy. With a length of 345m, it can accommodate 4300 passengers and 1150 crew members across its 21 decks, featuring 2150 cabins.

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Safe Bulkers, Inc. (NYSE: SB) and its CEO, Polys V. Hajioannou, in the context of the Company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) strategy has launched the Annual Cadet Scholarship Program for Students-Cadets in Cyprus Maritime Academy/Intercollege.
The program consists of five (5) annual scholarships that will be granted to Cypriot or Greek citizens enrolled in the 4-year Nautical Science program at Cyprus Maritime Academy. Each scholarship amounts to 5,000 Euros annually, covering the cost of the tuition fees and living expenses. The scholarships are renewed annually subject to recipients’ satisfactory academic progress and successful promotion to the next year. At the same time, the Cyprus Maritime Academy will provide a fixed scholarship amount to all Cadets that are awarded the scholarship by Safe Bulkers, resulting in the full coverage of the tuition fees.
When the program reaches its full implementation, the Company will offer scholarships to twenty (20) Students-Cadets in total for the duration of the 4-year program, valued at 100,000 Euros annually. Safe Bulkers will provide to all students sea-service training onboard its modern, energy-efficient, Cyprus-flagged vessels equipped with high-speed satellite internet connectivity and upon graduation full employment leading to a career as Deck Officers up to Captain Class A and prospective placement as Port Captains or fleet operators in the marine department of its Cyprus-based offices.
Safe Bulkers is proud to work with Cyprus Maritime Academy and support young people who are interested in embarking on a career at sea and excel as Deck Officers who could later promote to Masters. This scholarship program combined with Safe Bulkers Annual Scholarship Program for studies in marine engineering and other maritime fields, aims to enable and encourage young individuals to further their education and pursue a professional career in the maritime industry. Being the largest shipowner under the Cyprus Registry, Safe Bulkers is firmly committed to developing a pool of highly educated young talents equipped with the academic skills necessary to join the Cyprus’ workforce in the future, in the efforts to enhance the strength and growth of Cyprus maritime cluster.
More information about the terms and conditions of the Cadet Scholarship Program is available on Cyprus Maritime Academy website ( www.cyma.ac.cy/scholarships).

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Franman has extended its partnership with the leading Danish technology provider, Danelec, by promoting Danelec's digital services in Greece, as stated in the agreement signed on February 2^nd, 2024.
With Danelec's acquisition of KYMA A.S. in December 2021, a new era of possibilities has emerged.
Franman has always been at the forefront of technological advancements, having represented KYMA A.S., the renowned Norway-based specialist in digital ship performance monitoring, since 1993.
Specializing in maritime safety and sustainability, and being a global leader in ship data management solutions that promote efficiency and safety at sea, Danelec has recently been expanding its expertise in vessel optimization through the acquisition of Nautilus Labs, an AI-based analytics platform.
The combined digital suite of Danelec provides a comprehensive solution for fleet efficiency, by incorporating shaft power meters, digital data capturing, and fleet performance, providing customers with valuable insight to optimize operations, achieve savings, and ensure compliance.
“We are very pleased to have Franman represent us in Greece. Franman has been a leading agent for Kyma for more than 30 years and has a deep understanding for the ship performance market and solution selling. We can now offer a turnkey solution for our customers in Greece, which Franman can promote. We are looking forward to taking our partnership to the next level”, says Christian N. Treu, SVP for Danelec Digital. 
“At Franman, we are excited to extend our successful partnership with Danelec, focusing further on the digital services and the vessel optimizing analytics”, says Costis J. Frangoulis, Founder & CEO of Franman. 
About Danelec: Danelec is a leading specialist in digital solutions for the maritime industry, dedicated to simplifying data capture for ship owners, enabling them to future-proof their fleet and compete effectively in a data-driven, net-zero economy.
As a technologically leading manufacturer of Voyage Data Recorders (VDR), Shaft Power Meters, and provider of systems for digital monitoring of ship performance, Danelec has taken an impactful position in the digitalization of the maritime industry with 30+ years in the maritime market.
Currently, Danelec boasts an install base of 16,000 units across 13,000 vessels, driving operational optimization for safety and sustainability for ship owners across the globe including the world's top 10 largest shipping companies.
With headquarters in Denmark, 14 global hubs, 170 employees, and more than 700 factory-trained technicians in more than 50 countries, Danelec boasts a truly strong global presence.

About Franman: Established in 1991, Franman provides a wide range of equipment, parts, products and services to the shipping industry.
The company has in-depth knowledge, and well-established relationships, within Greek shipping.
From the beginning, the company followed the model of the Japanese Trading Houses with their one-stop-shop philosophy. The company focused on building partnerships in the Far East - initially Japan and South Korea, and later China.
Franman has always aspired to be a leader in Greek and international markets. This has fueled its drive to expand its partnerships and hence its offerings to shipowners.
During these 3 decades, the company has equipped 4,500 newbuildings. Today, the company connects 700 shipping companies with 189 suppliers of equipment and services.
In 2021 Franman was the proud recipient of the Lloyds List Piraeus International Centre Award.

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With the aim to comply with the new regulations for shipping emissions KCC a leading marine coating producer has introduced the next generation foul release coatings that integrate cutting edge technology enhancing the efficiency of ship operations.
In this framework Technava one of the greatest commercial agencies that represents first class manufacturers covering a wide range of marine equipment in Greek shipping organized in co-operation with KCC a technical seminar with the topic: “Innovations in Marine Paints for Enhanced Energy Efficiency and Performance Optimization".
The event took place at the “Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center” Athens “Lighthouse”.
Technical presentations were delivered by industry specialists.
Mr. D. G. Choi / Senior Vice President, Marine Coatings opened the seminar and welcomed the distinguished guests.
Mr. Y.S. Lee / Senior R&D Manager Anti-Fouling presented Egis ELF II a Silyl Methacrylate antifouling coating which offers Extremely-Low Frictional Resistance and Optimized Biocides Release. It is worthwhile to mention that EgisELF II offers excellent anti fouling protection up
to 90 months, linear polishing pattern by application of specific polymer containing silyl methacrylate and hull performance guarantee.
Mr. T.G. Nam / Senior Vice President, R&D Center referred to the MetaCruise NS which is a State of the art Biocide Release Silicone for maximum energy efficiency and exceptional long-term antifouling performance.
Mr. T.G. Nam / Senior Vice President, R&D Center described the EcoFriendly Marine Coatings which are the next generation of KCC’s ecofriendly range of marine coatings to comply with the latest environmental requirements.
Mr. K.J. Kang / General Manager, Coating System Design spoke about the Fouling Management System (FMS) an innovative tool to maximize vessels’ CII rating and minimize speed loss in view of EEXI requirements.
The topic of KCC Marine Coatings in Greece was presented by Mr. Danny Ryu / Deputy General Manager, Marine Coating Sales.
He also focused on KCC’s newbuilding projects and repairs including 300 Greek new building vessels and 849 ships in dry docking the latest 10 years that have applied the products of KCC.
There is also a sharp increase for AFCs
The closing remarks of the seminar were made by Mrs. Stella Tomazos / Managing Director, Technava S.A.
Mrs Tomazos told that Technava is proud for the 10-year partnership with KCC.
The company has a 50year experience on marine coatings and is the basic provider of Hyundai shipyards controlling a share market of around 60%.
KCC has a huge turnover of $4,7 billion, invests a great amount in R&D and is listed in the Korean Stock Exchange.
Finally Mrs Tomazou outlined that KCC has a continuous presence in the Greek shipping market and Technava promotes the new products of KCC responding to the new requirements of shipping.

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