The 22nd annual Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards for 2025 took place on Friday evening, with 19 separate honors bestowed to companies and individuals in a ceremony for Greek shipping’s version of the “Oscars”.
Speaking at the ceremony, relevant Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias referred to the roots, tradition and strength of Greece’s shipping family, from the first generation “…with hands of work and dreams in their eyes”, to the contemporary third generation that is called upon to preserve the ethos, consistency and patriotic pride that has characterized Greek shipping for a century.
Greek Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias.
“Greece comprises 2% of Europe, but Greek shipping constitutes 20% of the global fleet,” he said, calling on the younger generations to continue with integrity, innovation and a love for the profession, while also announcing an initiative to strengthen the Greek registry.
The 19 awards, in the sequence of their presentation, were:
Dry Cargo Company of the Year – Neptune Lines
Melina Travlou
The award was bestowed to Neptune Lines, one of the leading international vehicle carriers. With a network linking over 50 ports and an annual traffic of 1.8 million vehicles, the company continues to grow dynamically, expanding its activities in France, Latin America and with four new LNG-fuelled vessels under construction.
In receiving the award, Melina Travlou referred to a shipping family that “is moving forward with a 50-year work ethic”, dedicating the award to her father.
Tanker Company of the Year – Seaven Tanker Management Inc.
Stratos Tsalamanios, left, and Nikos Tsalamanios
The Tsalamanios family’s Seaven stood out for green transition, energy efficiency improvements and international certifications, ones that even its smallest tankers retain. With a fleet operating in the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Northern Europe, the company has been voluntarily publishing ESG reports since 2022 and is starting a fleet renewal program this year.
Passenger Line of the Year – Minoan Lines
Loucas Sigalas
The company’s CEO, Loucas Sigalas, received the award on behalf of Minoan Lines, which continues to grow strategically by joining a consortium, with the Grimaldi Group, in the ports of Irakleio (Heraklion) Crete and Igoumenitsa, while it plans to take delivery of two new, ultra-modern and environmentally friendly vessels, further enhancing the quality of its services.
Shipbroker of the Year – Intermodal
Kyriakos Dermatis
Kyriakos Dermatis outline the growth of Intermodal, which since 1984 has developed into a complete ‘one-stop shop’. With a significant presence in Shanghai since 2005 and with the incorporation of Golden Destiny, the company closes out 2025 with 41 years of continuous activity.
Shipping Financier of the Year – Credia Bank
Konstantinos Economou
Credia Bank honored for its fast and reliable entry into shipping finance, building a $430 million portfolio in just two years. Konstantinos Economou, the head of Credia Bank’s shipping division, spoke about the bank’s “transformation”, a new vision and an international acquisition that is expected to be completed, stressing that “we started from scratch, with faith and willpower” and in a very short time achieved a great deal.
Technical Achievement Award – Ariston Navigation Corp.
Yannis Xylas and Manolis Petromanolakis
Ariston Navigation was honored for the installation aboard the vessel Ardennes of the pioneering Greek-inspired PetroDuct, an energy-efficient device with no moving parts that reduces wave generation by more than 10% and therefore lessens fuel consumption. The head of the company, Yannis Xylas, thanked designer Manolis Petromanolakis, who was also awarded the prize, and underlined that “this technology is a real step towards a cleaner future”.
The Safety Award – Megatugs Salvage & Towage
Pavlos Xiradakis
Megatugs was honored for its stable, high-level operational action, rescue operations and its contribution to the safe towing of the tanker “Sounion” from the Red Sea to Greece, an operation that other international companies avoided, as noted by Pavlos Xiradakis, the president and CEO of Megatugs Salvage & Towage.
Ship of the Year – ‘Active’ – Capital Group
Miltos Zisis
The ‘Ship of the Year’ award was bestowed to Capital Group for the newly built vessel “Active”, the world’s first of four LCO₂ vessels, with a capacity of 22,000 cubic meters. The vessel’s revolutionary design allows for the transport of a variety of cargoes and petrochemicals, turning a new chapter in energy transformation technology. This is a “very special ship”, was the characteristic phrase heard. The award was received by Miltos Zisis, the general manager of Capital Gas Ship Management, who emphasized Capital’s dedication and commitment to continue on this innovative path.
Piraeus International Centre Award – Hellenic Shortsea Shipowners Association (HSSA)
Charalampos Simantonis
HSSA was honored for its upgraded role on the international shipping scene, but also for organizing an important conference that established Piraeus as a hub for know-how exchange and cooperation in the shortsea shipping sector. The award was received by the association’s president, Charalampos Simantonis.
International Personality of the Year – Christopher J. Wiernicki (ABS)
Christopher J. Wiernicki
Christopher J. Wiernicki, the chairman and CEO of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), was honored for leading one of the world’s leading certification bodies, and for his many years of contribution and impact on international shipping, its technological progress and his leadership in the transformation of the shipping industry.
Seafarer of the Year – Capt. Dionysios Arkalis (Costamare)
Capt. Dionysios Arkalis
Capt. Arkalis, the skipper of the Costamare vessel “Theseus”, was honored for leading the heroic rescue of seven crewmembers of the drifting MV Christina Debora, a standby safety vessel, in the South Atlantic.
Award for Achievement in Education or Training – Merchant Navy Academy of Aspropyrgos
The commandant of the Merchant Navy Academy of Aspropyrgos, Ioannis Mytilineos
The Merchant Navy Academy of Aspropyrgos was honored for its educational programs, technological upgrading and its long-standing contribution to the training of young Greek merchant marine officers.
Lloyd’s List Intelligence Big Data Award – Nereus Digital Bunkers
Nikos Gikas and Kelly Dritsa
Nereus Digital Bunkers was awarded for its SaaS Platform for shipping, which monitors the fuel quality of more than 500 ships in real time, providing optimization indicators and high-precision analytics, while also developing LNG bunkering solutions.
The Sustainability Award – Atlantic Bulk Carriers Management Ltd.
Atlantic Bulk Carriers CEO Michael Charalambous
The company honored for its systematic, long-term strategy of sustainable shipping, its “green” investments and innovative environmental design.
Deal of the Year – Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd.
Panagiotis Tsakos, left, and George Saroglou
TEN was honored for a major Suezmax shipbuilding deal, which decisively strengthened its portfolio and was recognized as one of the most strategic moves of the year.
Next Generation Shipping Award – Marilena Prokopiou
Marilena Prokopiou
Marilena Prokopiou received the Next Generation Shipping Award, due to her heightened activity in the shipping industry, initially with the establishment of Delos Navigation in the bulkers sector, and recently with Akrotiri Tankers. She also participates in the MIT consortium.
Lloyd’s List / Propeller Club Lifetime Achievement Award – Antonios Komninos
Antonios Komninos
Antonios Komninos was honored for his overall career, his contribution to the industry and his long-standing presence in shipping. In accepting his award, he urged the younger generation not to forget their nation, paraphrasing the well-known line of poet Odysseas Elytis.
Greek Shipping Newsmaker of the Year – Semiramis Paliou
Christina Tsemani, accepting the award on behalf of Semiramis Paliou
This year’s winner of the Greek Shipping Newsmaker of the Year is Semiramis Paliou, who stood out for her presence in the limelight with her offer to acquire, through Diana Shipping, the similarly NYSE-listed Genco Shipping.
Greek Shipping Personality of the Year – Maria Angelicoussis
Maria Angelicoussis
Maria Angelicoussis was honored as the top Greek Shipping Personality of the Year. Angelicoussis represents the largest Greek shipping group and continues the long-standing tradition of excellence by the Angelicoussis family.
