-
Aegean Marine Worldwide
Trading News
HEC In European Commission
Expert Group
InterviewA Crisis
of our Time Capt. Ilias Syrros
Manager at Aegean Shipping
PlusFlows & Currents
Travel with Aegean
Aegean NewsAUTUMN 2015
T H E Q U A R T E R L Y M A G A Z I N E O F A E G E A N
Aegean GasAegean Enters
LNG Market
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 1
Growth. Change. Movement. The heart of a dynamic system is, to a
great extent,
movement. As individuals, institutions and companies, we all
experience movement of one kind or another every day. Movement is
an essential part of the natural world as well, as witnessed by the
perpetual and incessantly flowing currents of water and air
throughout our planet.
When we combine movement with a defined purpose, we are then
involved in strategy, the characteristic of sophisticated and
successful systems.
It is this kind of movement—that with a strategic purpose—that
character-izes the course of Aegean’s development during the past
two decades.
Marking this development is a unique combination of growth
within a diverse set of business activities: a retail service
station network in Greece; the manufacture and distribution of
automotive, industrial, commercial and marine lubricants; ship
ownership and shipping management; extensive envi-ronmental
services; international trade in petroleum products; and the
world’s largest independent bunkering operations.
Today, Aegean is implementing a new growth strategy by entering
the Liq-uid Natural Gas market (LNG). By positioning itself within
the LNG market, Aegean is establishing another cornerstone of its
global business interests. This “movement” places Aegean among the
few companies that have exceptional international leverage,
flexibility and diversity.
The growth of Aegean is concurrent with change within its global
outlook. And such change benefits the company's business partners
everywhere.
Aegean—Built on growth and respect for the environment. Energy
for tomorrow.
editorial
RAYMOND MATERAPublisher
RetailAEGEAN OIL has established a gas station network
throughout Greece, and is one of the fastest growing companies in
the retail market. AEGEAN’S gasoline market share in Greece is
8%.
ShippingAEGEAN SHIPPING manages a fleet of tank-ers, ranging
from 28.610 to 50,926 DWT, that transfers and delivers oil to our
clients throughout the world. All ships meet ISM standards. The
Company’s new GreenFleet (http://www.greenfleet.gr) incorporates
the latest technologies to ensure reduced operating costs and
reduced emissions, while increasing overall performance. All ships
are certified by ISM, ISPS and MLC as well as with ISO 9001, 14001,
18001 and 50001. AEGEAN SHIPPING is additionally certified with ISO
22301.
BunkeringAEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM is a leader in providing the
best bunkering services avail-able in Piraeus, Patras, Gibraltar,
Amster-dam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, Fujarah, Jamaica, Singapore, Trinidad
& Tobago, Portland-Fal-mouth, Vancouver, Montreal, Mexico,
Tanger Med (Morocco), Canary Islands, Panama, Barcelona, Algeciras,
Baltimore, Philadel-phia, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Los
An-geles, Hamburg, the Gulf of Mexico, and St. Petersburg. AEGEAN
MARINE PETROLEUM is the market leader in bunkering.
Agency ServicesShips from around the world rely on AEGE-AN
AGENCY services at Piraeus, Gibraltar, Fujairah, and Jamaica, from
loading and discharging, to spare parts and supplies.
LubricantsAEGEAN OIL produces and markets high performance
lubricants for vehicles and industrial use, under the AEGEAN brand.
AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM trades and supplies lubricants for the
marine market under the ALFA brand.
AegeanCore Activities
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 3
Aegean News iPad version is now available at the app
store.Enhanced with video, more photos,and interactive content!
You're on the move. So are we.Get Aegean News wherever you
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4 AEGEAN UPDATE
8 AEGEAN MARINE Worldwide Trading News
10 HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER HEC in the European Commission
Expert Group on the Review of the EU Directive on Waste from Ships
in European Ports
11 RETAIL D-Force Travels Across Greece
12 ENVIRONMENT Going Greener with LED Lighting
14 FLOWS AND CURRENTS Trends and News in the Oil and Energy
Fields
16 AEGEAN GAS Aegean Enters LNG Market
22 THE AEGEAN INTERVIEW A Crisis of our Time
Capt. Ilias Syrros, C.O.O. & HQSEE Manager at
Aegean Shipping
24 STATIONS OF THE MONTH • Georgios Tsourapis, Argos
• Siakavaras Bros OE, Kozani
26 MARITIME TRADITION The Adventurous Sponge Divers
of Kalymnos
27 TRAVEL WITH ΑEGEAN Preveza
28 CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT A Gigantic Underwater
Microcosmos
30 AEGEAN COLLECTION Step Out in Style
16 Aegean enters the NG and LNG markets11 The Aegean corporate
car fleet proudly carrying the new D-Force diesel fuel logo
22 Capt. Ilias Syrros discusses the humanitarian crisis
affecting Greece, the Mediterranean, and Europe
AEGEANMARINEPETROLEUM
contents
Autumn 2015Aegean News is published quarterly by AEGEAN
PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR Raymond Matera
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Alexandra Loli
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PRINTING AND BINDING Korifi Publications SA
OWNER Aegean 10 Akti Konydli 185 45, Piraeus, Greece Tel: +30
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Websites: www.aegeanoil.gr, www.ampni.com
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4 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
Hong Kong Shipowners Association Visit
A special delegation organized by the
Hong Kong Shipowners Association and
led by Sabrina Chao, the Deputy Chairman
of the Association and Chairman of Wah
Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings Ltd.,
visited Aegean on September 29, 2015.
The delegation had the support of the
Hong Kong Maritime Industry Council
and InvestHK, and included senior repre-
sentatives of the Hong Kong and Chinese
banking, shipbuilding and legal sectors.
The purpose of this delegation was to
re-introduce the Hong Kong market and promote the vital
“super-connector” role that Hong
Kong plays between Chinese maritime industries and the rest of
the world.
The delegation also had the support of the Hong Kong government
and comprised the follow-
ing delegates:
• Sabrina Chao, Chairman Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings
Ltd, Deputy Chairman of
the Hong Kong Shipowners Association and Member of the Maritime
Industry Council
• Arthur Bowring, Managing Director of the Hong Kong Shipowners
Association
• Benjamin Wong, Head of Transport and Industrial, InvestHK
• Raymond Chung, Permanent Representative to the IMO for Hong
Kong SAR
• Jimmy Sun, Deputy General Manager, Bank of China (Hong Kong)
Ltd
• Pakco Lam, Team Head, Corporate Banking and Product Management
Department, Bank of
China (Hong Kong) Ltd
• Lianjun Li, Partner, Reed Smith Richards Butler and Member of
the Maritime Industry Council
• Christoforos Bisbikos, Partner, Watson Farley & Williams
Hong Kong
• Andrew Oates, Marketing Associate, Wah Kwong Maritime
Transport Holdings Limited
M/T Rizopon Launches Yet Another Immigrant Rescue Operation On
September 28, 2015, follow-
ing the instructions of the Italian
Maritime Rescue Coordination Center,
Aegean's ASM tanker M/T Rizopon,
while drifting off Zawia, launched a
rescue operation of 150 immigrants.
The 133 men, ten women and seven
children were found aboard an inflat-
able boat in the waters between
Italy and Libya. The M/T Rizopon
approached the inflatable boat and
tied it to the side of the ship. The
crew offered the immigrants food,
water and milk, and remained at the
site until the Italian coastguard vessel
arrived to pick them up.
Once again, we are proud of the
Captain, Officers and crew and we
congratulate them for the way they
handle such incidents, which unfortu-
nately take place often in the waters
between Italy and Libya.
A E G E A N U P D A T E
Tethering the inflatable vessel to M/T Rizopon
The delegation of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association at the
Aegean HQ with Dimitris Melissanidis
The meeting with the Hong Kong Shipowners Association
delegation
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 5
Aegean Delegation Visits the Port of Khorfakkan One week
following the UAE Eid
Holiday, Aegean Marine Petroleum
Station Manager George Moustakas
and Aegean Agency Manager Gireesh
Kumar visited the Khorfakkan Port
Harbor Master, Capt. Abkar Hasson
M. Dabla, and his staff to strengthen
relations with the local authorities.
It was also a good opportunity to
share thoughts and ideas about the
upcoming port and bunkering expan-
sion plans. The meeting proved very
constructive as Aegean has a strong
bunkering presence in the Khorfakkan
anchorage area and port. The two
parties also had the opportunity to
discuss future developments, plans
and opportunities of the Khorfakkan
port, which mostly accommodates
container vessels. Aegean has an
excellent reputation as a bunkers
operator and is highly regarded at the
ports of Khorfakkan and Kalba.
Heating Oil Delivery This winter season Aegean Oil is delivering
heating oil directly to
end consumers in Attica. For this purpose the company has set
up
a new organizational structure for the operation of the relevant
de-
partments, manned them with qualified personnel, and provides
the
following services:
• Ordering: The orders reception department accepts orders
throughout the week, daily from
8am until 9pm, at the five-digit telephone number 18190.
• Routing and distribution: Company owned tanker trucks handle
the delivery of the heating oil.
• Distribution and personnel: All Aegean drivers have gone
through special training programs
that ensure the safe and proper delivery of the product.
• Payment options: In addition to cash payments, Aegean
customers may opt for the six (6) in-
stallments plan with credit cards, which Aegean offers its
customers during these difficult times.
All heating oil orders received through 18190 are implemented in
the Attica region quickly,
reliably and with the Aegean guarantee.
Fuel Spill Exercise As part of the Aegean educational program, a
readiness exercise took place at the Temeteron service station
(branch 8) in Alexandroupolis.Coordinated by Mr. Pistolas, the
director of the Aegean facilities in Alexan-droupolis, the exercise
was held on September 10, 2015. According to the scenario of the
exercise there was a fuel spill upon arrival of the tanker truck at
the service station. The staff of the two company owned and
operated service stations participated in the exercise, as well as
the Aegean truck driver. The participants used all the necessary
rescue equipment available to the service station and the spill was
handled effectively.
Capt. Abkar Hasson M. Dabla, Khorfakkan Harbor Master, and Capt.
George Moustakas
Fuel spill exercise at the Temeteron service station in
Alexandroupolis
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6 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
New EmployeesThe following employees have joined the
Aegean work force.
AEGEAN OILPetros Koumianakis
AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUMLeonidas Aslanoglou Efstathios
Pavlikakis
HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTERCharalambos Kamoutsis
ΑEGEAN SHIPPING MANAGEMENTEvaggelia Lekaj
OIL ONECharalambos Nomismatidis Paleologos Kazaniatoras Petros
Mostratos Polychronis Meimetis Panagiotis Saboglou
MELCO PETROLEUMGiorgos Sidiropoulos
Visit to South Africa
The “Phakisa” operation, established in April of 2014 as an
initiative of Presi-dent Jacob Zuma, and led by the South African
government, was designed to fast track the implementation of
solutions on critical development issues and focus mainly on
unlocking the economical potential of South African oceans.Invited
by South African officials, a delegation of top management
executives of Aegean Marine Petroleum and the Hellenic
Environmental Center (HEC) visited South Africa to meet with
authorities related to the shipping industry.The weeklong program
was based on shipping, bunkering and the environ-ment (collection
and treatment of slops coming from ships). The team visited Port
Elizabeth, Cape Town, and Pretoria. These three main sectors
represent areas in which Aegean excels, so there could not have
been a better choice by the South African authorities to discuss
opportunities and prospects Aegean can offer in relation to the
Phakisa operation.Among a variety of locations, the group visited
the Algoa Bay area with the Coega Development Corporation team,
which manages the Industrial Devel-opment Zone of Coega. Plans for
developing an oil terminal and a refinery are ongoing in the Coega
IDZ area. Algoa bay will be the center of a new bunkering
development in South Africa. Vessels will be able to get bunkers in
the bay, at anchorage, without having to berth in ports. This
bunkering operation, a first and unique kind in South African
waters, is expected to attract passing ships that normally do not
stop in South African ports for bunkering. A full range of first
class services for ships will also be available to all ships when
calling a South African port. Regarding the environmental segment,
a treatment facility in Algoa Bay collecting wastewaters and slops
from ships in all ports of South Africa is in the works.
A E G E A N U P D A T E
Aegean Marine Petroleum and HEC executives meet with
representatives of South African official authorities
Logging OnCustomers and associates may log on at:
www.aegeanoil.comCustomers and associates of Aegean Marine
Petroleum may log on at: www.ampni.com
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 7
The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos opened the 2nd
Interna-
tional Pontian Youth Conference at the Vellidio Conference
Centre
in Thessaloniki by reciting a Pontian poem entitled “I Fear and
Cry”
(Αροθυμώ και τραγωδώ). "We neither fear nor cry when we see
the
bright faces of young Pontians. We rather sing for the bright
star of
all Pontians," he said. At the opening ceremony the president of
the
Greek Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos; the President of Cyprus,
Nikos
Anastasiadis, through Commissioner Fotis Photios; the
organizer
of the steering committee of the event, Alkis Anastasiadis; and
the
sponsor of the event, Ivan Savvidis, among others, addressed the
au-
dience. The 2nd International Pontian Youth Conference also
offered a
rich cultural program. The highlight of the evening was when the
room
was flooded by the sounds of 45 children from Giannitsa playing
the
traditional Lyra instrument.
Dimitris Melissanidis was present at the event and stated:
"At a time when the wider Black Sea region and the Mediterranean
are
in an ongoing crisis, rivalries and conflicts affect Cyprus,
Greece and
the Black Sea Hellenism,
At a time when Greece and Cyprus are experiencing an
unprecedent-
ed crisis, which affects Hellenism in its entirety,
At a time when the Greeks show signs of intense ethnic and
cultural
decline,
The Pontian youth, united and strong, with delegations from
distant
Australia, Canada, USA, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia,
Swe-
den, Germany, Cyprus and from all parts of Greece gives a
message
of responsibility and militancy to all Greeks and attempts
something
that can reverse the course of events and bring hope, that will
lead to
a national regeneration.
I read the program of the 2nd International Pontian Youth
Conference
carefully and I concluded that the Pontian youth initiatives,
tasks and
actions may be a glimmer of light in the darkness that has
covered
Greece and Cyprus.
In times like this it is necessary to put aside any differences
and proj-
ect a message of unity in all directions.
So, I would also like to declare, under the weight of
responsibility,
the severity of the situation and the great task our young
people are
called to perform at the 2nd International Pontian Youth
Conference,
that I am a warm supporter and promoter of the efforts of the
Pontian
youth and that I am glad to be present at the conference, on the
side
of Ivan Savvidis, a great fighter for the Pontian Idea, who has
offered
and continues to offer a lot to Pontian Hellenism.
Good luck and let’s all stick together…”
The 2nd International Pontian Youth Conference at the Vellidio
Conference Centre in Thessaloniki
Students of the Music School of Giannitsa and the Association of
Pontians of Giannitsa
The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos
The coordinator of the organizing committee of the 2nd
International Pontian Youth Conference, Alkis Anastasiadis, with
Ivan Savvidis
The 2nd International Pontian Youth Conference
Phot
os: p
onto
s-ne
ws.
gr/V
. Tse
nkel
idis
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8 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
A E G E A N M A R I N E
Piraeus In the framework of constant growth within Aegean’s
Trading Department, the Piraeus team welcomes its lat-est member,
Mr. Delidimitriou, an experienced industry professional. Alongside
Ms. Fikiri and Mr. Pavlikakis, Mr. Delidimitriou will form a
dynamic hometown team.Following Aegean's philosophy and strategy,
the Piraeus team focuses on creating relationships with new
partners in the Mediterranean region, supporting the worldwide
Trading Department with technical, legal and organiza-tional
issues, as well as overseeing the incorporation of our new set ups
around the globe. Our aim is to create an environment where our new
colleagues will relate to Ae-gean as their new family, where our
new partners will rec-ognize the value and strength of working with
us, where our values will consolidate our position as a global
partner on the physical supply side, on the lubricants and bunker
trading activities. It is also our goal to offer that same
se-curity and stability the Aegean name has come to mean all these
years, especially in the choppy waters our industry is currently
treading in.We are very confident, that with the most recent
addi-
tions to the family, the Shanghai operation, Hamburg, St
Petersburg, Singapore, Piraeus and Montreal, our goal is a step
closer.
Hamburg Supplying fuel physically is not everyone’s
cup of tea. And doing so globally in over
50 ports is in fact an accomplishment, and
Aegean indeed towers above all its inde-
pendent competitors. Following its growth
plan, Aegean rolled out its ambitious
agenda in Hamburg, bringing together a
team of experienced and passionate bunker
specialists in early 2015. The goal is to
expand to areas where we are not physical
yet. Aegean executes over 2,000 physical
supplies/month on a worldwide basis on
average, and our goal is to consistently
grow and add value to this service. Aside
from the supply of fuel, what’s an added
benefit that all customers seek? Service,
one-stop-solutions for all issues pertaining
to bunker-related requirements and topics
starting from sale, operations, quality
control, contract options, credit, invoicing
and to be in continuous touch until the
next requirement. One of our strengths is
our local and global market understanding.
This allows us to ensure reliable bunker
solutions tailored to our customers’ needs,
to share our expert knowledge on latest
industry developments and trends (for in-
stance, LNG and ECA), and to provide our
customers with value-added services such
as, for instance, market reviews. 2015 has
been an exciting year for our team so far.
And we take pride in combining our indus-
try-leading expertise in worldwide trading
and Aegean’s unique supply network to
offer our customers a comprehensive long-
term strategic partnership.
Worldwide Trading News
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 9
St. Petersburg Since February of 2015, the Aegean team
in Russia has expanded into the ports of
the Northeast Baltics, the Black Sea and
the Russian Far East. Our office continues
to serve existing corporate clientele, and
has expanded our horizons for many ship
owners, operators as well as brokers seeking
additional value associated with the Aege-
an brand. Our major ports of focus are St.
Petersburg, Novorossiysk and Vladivostok.
However, we are equally competitive at oth-
er smaller ports in all regions of Russia and
Eastern Europe.
Our office maintains high corporate stan-
dards and forms partnerships only with repu-
table suppliers able to provide the customer
with quality products and 24/7 support.
Our streamlined operational updates give
clients assurance of smooth supply and
instant response to any issue. In the past
few months the Russian bunker market has
reached the lowest price levels in years, with
one ton of IFO380 trading well below $190
in all three areas (NW, Black Sea, Far East).
While bunker only calls are not permitted in
St. Petersburg, we can serve transit custom-
ers in Baltiysk, Novorossiysk/Kavkaz and in
all big Far East ports. We encourage custom-
ers to take advantage of our expertise in the
already favorable Russian bunker market.
Montreal ICS Petroleum Montreal Ltd., a part of the globally
extend-ed Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc., prepares once again
to take part in the 81st Annual Grunt Club, sched-uled to take
place in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Cana-
da on December 4th, 2015. More than 1300 Grunt Club members and
guests, associated with the marine industry from around the world,
are expected to attend the Annual Dinner at the Montreal Hilton
Hotel.Since the early 1930s, the Grunt Club annual event allows
commercial shipping companies, major marine petroleum suppliers,
shipping agents and brokers as well as marine fuel trading
companies, such ICS Petroleum (Montreal), the op-portunity to
exchange views and developments within the in-ternational and
national bunkering industry, and provides a springboard to take
advantage of new business opportunities, forging stronger and
mutually beneficial strategic alliances.ICS Petroleum, Montreal,
spanning two decades within the Eastern Canadian market, continues
to play a leading role in the provision of marine fuels, serving
its client at over 30 ports geographically, based from Halifax to
the Great Lakes region. Our extensive experience in bunkering
allows us to meet our customers' specific requirements when they
bun-ker marine fuels and represent a significant asset to our
client base and competitive advantage against competition.
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10 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
HEC Participates in the European Commission Expert Groupon the
Review of the EU Directive on Waste from Ships in European
Ports
As part of the revision of European Directive 2000/59 EC,
concerning the management
of waste from ships and the operation of reception facilities in
ports, HEC participated
with the Director of Research and Development, Michalis
Psaromichalakis, in the European
Sustainable Shipping Forum of national delegations and experts,
organized by the
Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG Move) of the
European Commission.
The forum took place in Brus-sels on October 1, 2015 with the
main objective the harmo-nization of charging systems applicable to
different EU ports. For this reason the participants presented
models of ports in Sweden, Bremerhaven, Barcelona, Piraeus, Le
Havre, and Dutch-Belgian ports. The presenta-tions highlighted the
significant differ-ences not only between States but also ports
within the same Member State.
Each port defended the system of fees and charges for ship waste
that is applicable in their case, while all ports claimed
successful results in their system’s implementation. Due to the
complexity of the issue, the findings and the proposal which will
be submitted to the European Commission, based on the subsidiar-ity
principle governing the European Law, is the non-involvement of
the
Commission in the charging system applied by each port, provided
this is not contrary to the principles and the requirements of
Directive 2000/59.
This way the idea of applying a com-mon system is abandoned. The
partic-ipants of the forum discussed the need of the Commission's
alignment with the requirements of ISO:16304/2013 for waste
reception facilities for ships.
HEC is the first company to be certi-fied against this standard
in Europe as of February 2014.
The next meeting of experts will be held by the end of this
year, so that the final outcome be submitted to the Commission in
early 2016. With this timetable, the revised Directive is ex-pected
to be implemented earlier than 2019.
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 11
R E T A I L
Cars in the Aegean fleet now proudly carry the new D-Force
diesel fuel logo.
D-Force Travels Across Greece!
Aegean’s new diesel fuel D-Force entered the market in December
2014—and diesel vehicle drivers have already noticed its
exceptional features and advantages. Today, drivers are eagerly
requesting D-Force at the pump of Aegean service stations.
The new D-Force diesel fuel, which is available at selected
service stations of the Aegean network, contains the most
technologically advanced additives that allow D-Force for cars with
a diesel engine to:• increase the cetane number up to three units,
which means improved ignition
quality, better cold start and more acceleration• reduce fuel
consumption by up to 3%• clean injectors, giving optimum spraying
capabilities and keeping the entire en-
gine clean• reduce engine noise• provide substantial protection
against corrosion and increases engine life
The Aegean corporate car fleet at Aegean’s Thessaloniki
office
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12 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
E N V I R O N M E N T
Going Greener With LED Lighting
In a move to improve its
environmental performance and
reduce its CO2 footprint, Aegean
has replaced all bulbs in its 9-story
headquarters in Piraeus with ultra-
efficient LED bulbs.
CO2 Emissions ReducedLEDs are recognized as the best option for
lighting in all buildings as they significantly reduce CO2
emissions compared with both incandescent and CFL bulbs. LED bulbs
contain no mercury, a major boost to health and waste
management.
40X LifespanLEDs (light emitting diodes) last for a whopping
40,000 hours whereas an incandescent bulb burns out, on average,
after 1000 hours of opera-tion. That’s 40 regular bulbs for every
LED bulb! With such performance,
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 13
maintenance costs are reduced as is the need to store and
extensive supply of replacement bulbs.
Less ElectricityIn addition, LED bulbs consume far less
electricity: an incandescent bulb consumes 60 watts while the LED
bulb uses just 12.5 watts (and a CFL 25 watts).
This kind of performance would have staggering environment
affects if LEDs were used globally. In fact, if LEDs replaced all
existing bulbs, world oil consumption would be reduced by almost 1
billion barrels over 10 years and 15% of global energy consumption
would be saved.
Health BenefitsAnother key benefit relates to health—LEDs have
been shown to improve motivation, concentration, and energy in the
workplace, as well as add to mood support in common areas, such as
dining halls. As they are flicker free, LEDs also reduce headaches
and eye strain.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency calculates
that LED lights will save 88 terawatts-hours of electricity from
2010 to 2030, enough to power seven million homes for an entire
year. Put into per-spective, Greece has roughly 6.3 million
homes.
Aegean and LEDAt Aegean headquarters in Piraeus, the entire
stock of light bulbs have been replaced with LED light bulbs, an
investment upgrade that Aegean believes will have a triple return
on investment—environmental, human, and financial.
With roughly 10,000 square meters of space, Aegean’s
headquarters are demanding in their need for effective lighting to
serve its nearly 350 employees.
In addition to savings in open space office areas, Aegean has
installed sensors in those spaces used more infrequently, rest
rooms, hallways, the parking garage, storage areas and the like. In
this way, lighting is on only when in actual use, adding up to a
70-90% savings.
To date, the savings have been significant: Aegean’s building
manage-ment team notes that it estimates return on investment to be
realized in just 20 months.
Positive Employee ReactionEmployee reaction has been positive.
Antonis Pavlakis, Aegean’s HR Manager, says: “Staff report that
they in favor of this important initiative since they feel it is
vital to support environmental protection in the work-place, as
they do in their homes.” “Plus,” he says, “people have reported
that their office space has a softer, more welcoming atmosphere.”
Since LED bulbs emit almost no heat, this also makes the overall
office climate more natural.
Aegean is proud to invest in a better workplace, improving our
earth’s atmosphere, our building footprint, and our employee’s work
environment.
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14 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
F L O W S A N D C U R R E N T S
Increased Pressure from Overfishing and Climate Change
The combination of overfishing and climate
change, and our own prosperity, endangers
the health of the oceans. It is imperative
that we take urgent and concerted action to
improve the ocean ecosystem.
The rapid rise in human population and in-
come has caused an increase in demand for
fish. Three billion people worldwide depend
on fish as the main source of animal protein,
essential micronutrients, and fatty acids.
However, climate change also affects the
oceans. For example, the increase of carbon
in the atmosphere is triggering ocean acidification. This has
changed the chemistry of the
water and is threatening entire food chains.
Nevertheless, there is still hope. We need to make changes in
fisheries policies, equipment
and techniques that will result in less damage to the ocean. By
renewing the global energy
system to reduce fossil fuel use, we could limit the warming of
the oceans and the levels of
carbon dioxide.
A Fully Autonomous Ship The University of Plymouth in the United
Kingdom is designing a full-sized fully autonomous ship, the
Mayflower Autonomous Research Ship (MARS). The new vessel will be
powered by renewable energy and will act as a platform for
conducting scientific research experiments, as well as serve as a
testing ground for new browsers and alternative energy sources, and
a living educa-tional resource.For the design of the MARS the
university is working with individuals with expertise in the
construction of autonomous vessels. The construction of the MARS is
expected to last two and a half years. This self-catering boat, the
first of its kind, will sail the Atlantic in 2020, after a test
phase of one year. The year 2020 was chosen because it is the 400th
anniversary of the historic Mayflower sailing from Plymouth to
North America. The MARS will follow the same route.
New Guidelines for Accident Prevention in Enclosed Spaces
Onboard It is widely known that every year
many fatal accidents are recorded
in enclosed spaces onboard. Since
early this year, according to a new
regulation (SOLAS 19) all ships
must carry mandatory entry and
rescue drills every two months. This
is a measure that aims at taking this
problem seriously and proving its
efficiency with fewer losses.
In the first nine months of 2015,
it is expected that around 10,000
ships will be inspected. The proce-
dures and ship security measures to
protect personnel, according to the
new Regulation, will be the focus of
those checks, namely that the crew
members have received adequate
training in order to fully understand
the risks and that they are familiar
with equipment use in indoor areas
of the ship.
If deficiencies are observed, sanc-
tions will range from recording the
deficiencies and requiring its rec-
tification within a certain period of
time, to the detention of the ship
until the problems have been rec-
tified.
Source: Bimco
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 15
Lloyds Register Participates in Lifeboat Best Design StudyThe
University of Newcastle and the
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
(RNLI) with support from Lloyds
Register are examining the design of
all-weather lifeboats. The four-year
project will help improve performance
while providing the safest possible
environment for the crew.
Using computer models, small-scale
experiments and full-scale tests for the
analysis of the behavior of lifeboats on
a range of speeds and in different cir-
cumstances, the findings will contribute
to setting new standards for speed,
safety and efficiency.
“When the RNLI’s lifeboats travel at
speed and in rough seas, they can be
subject to frequent and significant
slamming as the boat crashes against
the waves. Measuring these forces and
the resulting impact on the vessel is
crucial in order to design a craft that
is capable of withstanding the loads
experienced during rescue operations,”
said Federico Prini, Project Leader
and Researcher at the University of
Newcastle.
Jesus Mediavilla, Lead Specialist of
LR, who oversees the project, said: “LR
has been committed to improving the
safety standards of vessels at sea for
more than 250 years. This project will
help to de-risk the operation of life-
boats, by improving current knowledge,
and potentially contributing to further
improvement of our special craft rules.”
Source: Lloyd’s Register
Piraeus Among Leading Ports Around the World The port of Piraeus
is one of the largest container ports in the world, according to
Lloyd's
List 2015. For the first time in its history, and despite the
economic crisis, the port of
Piraeus was in 39th place in the "Containerization International
Top 100 Ports,” based on
cargo capacity and movement of its container ships. In just four
years, Piraeus has climbed
54 positions, having grown into one of the most competitive
ports in the world, thanks
to the effective implementation of strategic policies and
cooperation with major terminal
operators such as Cosco.
Meanwhile, the Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) has achieved
increased profitability in the first
half of 2015, with a 130.5 percent increase in after-tax profit
to 7.6 million Euros, compared
to 3.3 million Euros in the first half 2014.
Underwater Inspection with a Remotely Operated Vehicle
In June 2015, the scientific staff of ASI Marine carried out an
un-derwater inspection of the Cheves Hydropower Tunnel in Peru at a
depth of 570 meters with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped
with a range of sensors, including sonar and video for the
collection of data. This tunnel is approximately 9.8 kilometers in
length. The ROV,
which is controlled and powered from the surface, was
specifically designed by ASI for this type of work and is unique.
The purpose of the audit was to collect data for a general
assessment of the structural engineering of the tunnel and identify
important abnormalities such as deformations, major cracks, rubble,
partial collapses and accumulations of rocks.
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16 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
A E G E A N G A S
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 17
Aegean Enters LNG MarketAs the global energy market evolves,
Aegean is again positioning itself to be at the center
of emerging developments. 2015 sees Aegean entering the NG and
LNG markets (Natural
Gas; Liquefied Natural Gas), focusing on the supply chain of NG
and LNG.
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18 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
Entering the NG and LNG mar-kets allows the company to leverage
its extensive experience in the global shipping, bunkering, and
environmental sectors and to establish the Aegean brand in one of
the most dynamic energy fields on a global scale.
At the first stages of its presence in the LNG market, Aegean
Gas is focusing on the import, marketing and distribution of gas,
that is to be
transported by special vessels, from the source of extraction
and from liquefaction plants, to LNG regasifi-cation (import)
terminals across the Mediterranean, Europe, Northeast Africa and
South Asia. It will supply LNG under both short market and
medium/long supply contract from
the world’s largest LNG producers.In addition Aegean will be
engaged
in supplies from the market by major traders and middle stream
gas com-panies operating in Europe and in international
markets.
Aegean’s broad and deep global experience in energy
transportation and shipping, energy storage and distribution,
bunkering services, fuels and natural gas, oil products,
liquefied natural gas supply chain, fa-cilities, land and
onshore fuel and gas infrastructure, port storage facilities and
marine environmental services related to sea-port reception
facili-ties all play an important role in the development of the
new Aegean Gas operations.
A E G E A N G A S
The Aegean Commitment “Aegean Gas is committed to the
sustainable development of NG and LNG supply. We consider that
energy is the key driver for the development of society and
eco-nomic growth. We are committed to building a sustainable future
by increasing the use of eco-friendly fuels such as Liquefied
Natural Gas. LNG is a key fuel in today’s energy mix and Aegean is
excited to explore business opportunities in this sector.”The
executive team and BoD man-aging the Aegean Gas endeavor, with its
extensive experience and expertise, is ideally suited to oversee
the mission for Aegean-to become a leader in the LNG supply value
chain. As the company ex-pands in diverse global markets, Aegean is
able to draw on the deep expertise, insights, knowl-edge, and
market understanding that its management has. In addi-tion, new
executives are brought on board to complement the Ae-gean vision.
Board Member and CEO of Aegean Gas is Theodore Theodoropoulos, who
comes from the Qatar Petroleum family.
Entering the LNG and NG markets allows the company to leverage
its extensive experience in the global shipping, bunkering, and
environmental sectors and to establish the Aegean brand in one of
the most dynamic energy fields on a global scale
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 19
What's LNG?LNG is natural gas that is cooled into liquid form at
-160 degrees Centigrade, reducing it to one-six-hundredth of its
original size. It is stored and transported in insulated tankers
which minimize vaporization resulting from heat ingress. The LNG is
then transported by tankers to a variety of destinations. On
arrival, it is then converted back into a gaseous form for delivery
to end users, such as power stations, industries, commer-cial
buildings and residential units.
LNG is composed of a mixture of hydrocarbon gases that occur
with petroleum deposits, principally meth-ane together with varying
quantities of ethane, propane, butane, and other gases, and is used
as fuel and in the manufacture of organic compounds. Liquefied
natural gas or LNG is nat-ural gas (predominantly methane, CH4)
that has been converted tempo-rarily to liquid form for ease of
storage or transport.
Liquefied natural gas takes up about 1/600th the volume of
natural gas in the gaseous state. It is odorless, colorless,
non-toxic and non-corro-sive. Hazards include flammability,
freezing and asphyxia.
The LNG ProcessThe gas is first extracted and trans-ported to a
processing plant where it is purified by removing any conden-sates
such as water, oil, mud, as well as other gases such as CO2 and
H2S, and sometimes solids such as mercury.
The gas is then cooled, in stages, until it is liquefied. LNG is
finally stored in storage tanks and can be loaded and shipped. The
liquefaction process involves removal of certain components, such
as dust, acid gases, helium, water, and heavy hydrocar-bons, which
could cause difficulty downstream. The natural gas is then
condensed into a liquid at close to at-mospheric pressure
(maximum trans-port pressure set at around 25 kPa/3.6 psi) by
cooling it to approximately −162 °C (−260 °F).
The reduction in volume makes it much more cost efficient to
transport over long distances where pipelines do not exist. Where
moving natural gas by pipelines is not possible or economical, it
can be transported by specially designed cryogenic sea vessels (LNG
carriers) or cryogenic road tankers.
The energy density of LNG is 60% of that of diesel fuel.
LNG TransportationAn LNG carrier is a tank ship de-signed for
transporting liquefied nat-ural gas (LNG). As the LNG market grows
rapidly, the fleet of LNG carri-ers continues to experience
tremen-dous growth.
LNG StorageA liquefied natural gas storage tank is a specialized
type of storage tank used for the storage of Liquefied Nat-ural
Gas. LNG storage tanks can be constructed in ground, above ground
or on LNG carriers. The common characteristic of LNG storage
tanks
“We are committed to building a sustainable future by increasing
the use of eco-friendly fuels such as Liquefied Natural Gas”
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20 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
is the ability to store LNG at the very low temperature of -162
°C (-260 °F). LNG storage tanks have double containers, where the
inner con-
tains LNG and the outer container contains insulation materials.
The most common tank type is the full containment tank. Tanks are
roughly 55 m (180 ft) high and 75 m (250 ft) in diameter (=250 000
m³). In LNG
storage tanks if LNG vapors are not released, the pressure and
tempera-ture within the tank will continue to rise. LNG is a
cryogen, and is kept in
its liquid state at very low tempera-tures. The temperature
within the tank will remain constant if the pres-sure is kept
constant by allowing the boil off gas to escape from the tank. This
is known as auto-refrigeration.
LNG Regasification TerminalLNG regasification terminals are the
keys to unlocking markets. In regas-ification terminals, the
ultimate des-tination of LNG carriers, the liquefied natural gas is
returned to its initial, gaseous state, then fed into transmis-sion
and distribution networks.
OnShoreRegasification terminal– Land facility for receiving,
unloading, storing and re-gasifying LNG, usually including
breakwaters, tanker berthing and oth-er marine facilities.
OffShoreRegasification terminal – Offshore fa-
“LNG is a key fuel in today’s energy mix and Aegean is excited
to explore business opportunities in this sector”
A E G E A N G A S
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 21
cility for receiving, unloading, storing and re-gasifying
LNG.
The Benefits of LNG vs Gas Transported by PipelinesThe biggest
advantage of having ac-cess to the LNG market, and being able to
import it, is the existence of alternative sources of LNG supply,
which is necessary both for the safety of the total company supply
to meet the needs of its clients, as well as for the correction of
the Load Factor of its consumers-clients for whom the imported LNG
is intended. Further-more, and important for countries such as
Greece, is that the supply and import of LNG also contributes
to
the overall security of gas supply of Southeast Europe, since
the supply of LNG is not affected by geopolitical
or other financial problems that may occasionally occur in
transit countries through which the gas supply pipe-lines
transit.
In terms of price, changing condi-
tions in the world natural gas market in the last three years
have affirmed LNG as being a much more competi-
tive commodity to pipeline gas, due to the collapse of prices in
the world's largest market, the U.S., brought on by the development
of indigenous shale gas (nonconventional gas).
Aegean Gas is focusing on the import, marketing and distribution
of gas…to LNG regasification (import) terminals across the
Mediterranean, Europe, Northeast Africa and South Asia
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22 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
Clearly the issue of migrants is one of the most serious
challenges for Europe at the moment. Give us an idea of its
parameters. Migrants and refugees streaming into Europe from
Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia have presented European
leaders and policymakers with their greatest challenge in recent
years. The International Organization for Migration calls Europe
the most dangerous destination for irregular migration in the
world, and the Mediterranean the world's most dangerous border
crossing. Yet despite the escalating human toll, the European
Union's collective response to its current migrant influx has been
ad hoc and, more focused on securing the bloc's borders than on
protecting the rights of migrants and refugees.
Greece has increasingly been an entry point for migrants from
the south—North Africa, as well as the east—the Middle East and
beyond. What are the characteristics of this phenomenon on a daily
basis in relation to numbers and vessels involved?It is estimated
that more than 464,000 migrants have crossed into Europe by sea for
the first nine months of 2015. Syrians Afghans and Eritreans
fleeing forced labor (7 percent) made up the three largest groups
of migrants. Deteriorating security and grinding poverty in Iraq,
Ni-geria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan also contribute to the
migrant influx.
EU member states hardest hit by the economic crisis, like Greece
and Italy, have also served as the main points of entry for
migrants and refugees due to their proximity to the Mediterranean
Basin.
How is Greece responding to this massive wave of people entering
its borders?Greece's volatile economic situation, combined with the
increasing numbers of new arrivals, is putting severe strain on
small island communities, which lack the basic infra-structure and
services to adequately respond to the grow-ing humanitarian needs.
The numbers of people arriving are now so high that, despite all
efforts, the authorities and local communities can no longer
cope.
By 2012, 51% of migrants entering the EU without proper
documents did so via Greece. This trend shifted in 2013 after Greek
authorities enhanced border controls under Operation Aspida (or
"Shield"), which included the construction of a barbed-wire fence
at the Greek-Turkish border. But by July 2015, Greece had once
again become the preferred Mediterranean entry point, with a
reported 132,240 illegal EU border crossings for the first half of
2015, five times the number detected for the same period last
year.
And how is the Hellenic Coast Guard able to respond to this
humanitarian crisis?Greece lies on the southeastern edge of Europe,
on the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Greece’s coastline
is larger than most due to the existence of the thousands of
Islands that surround the mainland. In a straight line, the
distance from the north to the southernmost point is 792 km and
from the westernmost to the Easternmost 992 km. The total length of
coastline along the shores of the islands, reaches 15020.9 km. In
other words, a straight line along the Greek coastline is the
distance from the Greek capital,
Capt. Ilias Syrros, C.O.O. & HQSEE Manager at Aegean
Shipping, discusses the humanitarian
crisis affecting Greece, the Mediterranean, Europe and, of
course, the people fleeing unstable and
dangerous environments.
A Crisis of our Time
T H E A E G E A N I N T E R V I E W
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 23
Athens, to Cape Horn in South America or to the eastern part of
New Guinea.
There is too much distance for the Coast guard to be able to
properly monitor the points of entry. Hence their primary role
nowadays is the rescue operation of all vessels in distress in its
territorial waters.
The number of migrants who are losing their lives in the
Mediterranean continues to increase dramatically. Over a recent
week in early September, an estimated 72 migrants have lost their
lives in their attempt to cross into the Greek islands from Turkey.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that
from September 11th to September 13th approximately 20,000 migrants
have been registered in the Greek islands.
With such an increase in rescue missions, there is very little
the Hellenic Coast Guard can do other than be there for the initial
marine emergency response.
Are you hopeful the situation will improve during the next
several months?No. With the onset of the Northern Hemispheres’
winter season, migrants are changing the land routes employed
during the summer months, however those that still choose the
passage by sea, will be met with even more treachery on the high
water due to the prevailing weather conditions.
Hence, it can be expected that there will be an increase in the
engagement of the merchant fleet to keep assisting in search and
rescue operations.
Merchant ships are legally bound to rescue those in need, under
the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. However,
the rescue of sometimes several hundreds of people compromises the
safety and the health conditions of the entire ship. There is no
proper accom-modation for additional people as merchant ships are
designed to sail with crew on board as per their Safe Man-ning
Certifications. Usually this does not exceed twenty persons, hence
there are not enough life-saving appliances for any extra
migrants.
Finally, it has been observed frequently recently, that the
vessel’s destination countries, refuse the migrants’
dis-embarkation and the vessel resulting in huge troubles with
local authorities.
Companies such as Aegean have responded proactively by picking
up overflowing boats—even saving lives. How im-portant are actions
like these in these difficult times?The actions of companies
experienced in the internation-al arena, such as Aegean, in
proactively assisting rescue missions is imperative during this
crisis. Irrespective of the risks associated with such as explored
above, it is the responsibility of all vessels to ‘rescue’ those in
need.
Our M/T Rizopon has been involved in 4 rescue at-tempts in the
Mediterranean Sea, in the waters between Italy and Libya where she
regularly trades. Our most recent assistance was provided on
September 28 where the vessel was notified by the Italian Coast
guard of some 150 refu-gees in lifeboats. The crew of our M/T
Rizopon managed to save 133 men, 10 women and 7 children which were
fed supplies and assisted until the Coast Guard could ‘safely’
assist the movement of the refugees to a ‘safe’ port of entry.
Without the assistance from the international merchant fleet in
such difficult circumstances, we are sure the death toll of such
displaced people would be even higher than current levels.
Capt. Ilias Syrros
Our M/T Rizopon has been involved in 4 rescue attempts in the
Mediterranean Sea, in the waters between Italy and Libya where she
regularly trades
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24 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
S T A T I O N S O F T H E M O N T H
Talk to us please about your business. How long have you had
this job?This service station has been in op-eration since 1966. In
the beginning my grandfather managed it and then my father took
over. I try to help him
out as much as I can since he is now quite old. This is a purely
family busi-ness with a long tradition of 50 years. My grandfather
is widely known in the region for selling fuel even when there
wasn’t yet any electricity here. In 1966 he was the one to install
the first pumps in the area.
What kind of services do you offer? Tell us a few words about
your customers and your work.We sell Aegean fuel, lubricants and
heating oil. At our service station our customers are
tourists—travelers heading to Athens or Nafplio—and many locals,
especially during the agricultural season. We are not fac-ing a
particular problem with the competition.
How long have you been part of the Ae-gean retail network?We
started working with Aegean when the company was just starting, in
2001.
What made you select Aegean?We decided to join the Aegean
network of service stations since we were not happy with our
previous supplier. At some point I remember there being a general
meeting of service station own-ers in the region and after this
meeting, which took place in Kefalari, Argos, we were all in
agreement with Mr. Melis-sanidis and decided to come to Aegean!
How is it to work with Aegean?We have been working with Aegean
for 15 years already and our work re-lationship is very good.
What is your relationship like with your customers? How does
that affect your work?We make it a point to be friendly with our
customers, whether they are simply visiting the area or regu-lar
customers from our region. Our customers are extremely happy with
the Aegean product line and their kind words and smile give us
great satisfaction.
The service station of Giorgos Tsourapis is located in Neo Ireo,
just five kilometers from Argos
and six kilometers from Mykinae, near the main road to Argos. We
spoke with Mr. Giorgos’
son, Yiannis, who helps with the family business.
A Long Family Tradition Georgios Tsourapis, Argos
Our customers are extremely happy with the
Aegean product line and their kind words and smile give us great
satisfaction
Mr. Tsourapis’ service station
The local community of Neo Ireo, or Chonika as the area is
otherwise known, belongs to the municipality of Argos - Mycenae in
the Regional Unity of Argolida of the Peloponnese. Mr. Tsourapis
explained to Aegean News that many tourists visit the area to see
the ancient sanctuary of Neo Ireo, dedicated to the goddess
Hera.
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 25
Please talk to us about your service station and the services
you provide. At our service station we sell every-thing! Fuel,
lubricants, heating oil, spare parts, you name it. We also maintain
a car wash and lubrication center. We employ a staff of two.
Since when has this service station been in operation? How long
have you personally been in the fuel business? Our father opened
this service station in 1977. At about the same time my
brother and I started working here. Now, we handle the
business.
How did you choose Aegean? Have long have you been a part of the
Aegean retail network?We have been working with Aegean for the past
four months. We have recently had a general renovation at our
service station. We changed ev-erything. We wanted to make a new
beginning. We had been hearing very goods things about Aegean from
oth-
er service station owners that we col-laborate with and we
decided to make this change to improve our business.
How has your collaboration with Aege-an been so far? What has
your impres-sion of your new supplier been in this short while? Our
cooperation with the people of Aegean is excellent. At the moment I
cannot say anything about the differ-ence in our consumption and
profits, as it is still very early. Yet our initial data is
encouraging. Now heating oil
season will start and work will pick up.
What is the relationship with your cus-tomers like? How did they
react to the change in suppliers and what do they think of the
Aegean brand? Our customers are many passersby and plenty of
locals. The locals trust us and keep coming after the change in
sup-pliers, while passersby stop because they recognize the Aegean
brand. Ma-ny of our customers ask for D-Force, the new fuel for
diesel engines. It has been a great success.
A Fresh StartSiakavaras Bros ΟΕ, Kozani
The service station of the brothers Dimitris and Yiannis
Siakavaras is located in Kozani, in the
region of the General Hospital of Kozani, on the main road to
Ptolemais. Aegean News talked
with Dimitris Siakavaras on the business he maintains with his
brother and their very recent
decision to join the Aegean retail network.
The service station of Siakavaras Bros
Built among the mountain ranges of Vermio, Bourinos and Pieria,
Kozani is the capital and largest city of the region of Western
Macedonia. Kozani has more than 55,000 inhabitants, the majority of
whom work in the local lignite electricity facto-ries. Kozani is
located 120 km from Thessaloniki and 470 km from Athens.
Many of our customers ask for D-Force, the new fuel for diesel
engines. It has been a
great success.
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26 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
M A R I T I M E T R A D I T I O N
The Island of Sponge DiversAccording to historians, the first
in-habitants of Kalymnos were the Kares, who settled on the island
in the second millennium BC. The first mention of Kalymnos appears
in Rhapsody B of Homer’s Iliad, where the poet lists the cities
that took part in the expedition against Troy. Since the ancient
times Kalymnos has known many conquer-ors; Persians, Romans,
Venetians, Knights of St. John, Turks and Italians have left their
mark on the island. Today Kalymnos, with a total area of 109 square
kilometers, has a lively commercial life and a vivid island
at-mosphere. At 183 nautical miles from Piraeus, Kalymnos is known
as the "Island of Sponge Divers."
A Long TraditionSponge diving is a tradition for most families
in Kalymnos. Secrets of free diving are passed from father to
son,
and most of the families on the island have at least one sponge
diver among them.
According to historical data, each year the activity of sponge
diving started in early May when a small group of people with a
boat and some supplies (such as meat, rice, olives, and cheese)
went out in the open sea in search for sponges. Their only tool was
the strength of their breath and a 15-kilogram skandalopetra, a
rounded stone tied on a rope to the boat, which helped them get to
the bottom quickly. The sponge divers returned to the is-land in
early September and sold their sponges to merchants on the
island.
In the old days people went after sponges with no special
uniform or gear. They used no mask or flippers. The captain, who
was on the boat, used a piece of glass to point to the diver where
the sponge was, often at a depth of 30 meters.
Nowadays, young people who want to learn new methods of sponge
diving have the ability to do that at the diving school of
Kalymnos, which is unique in Greece. However, not many young people
are engaged with the profes-sion of sponge diving any more. First,
climate change has affected sponges and their quantity. And second,
locals complain about the indifference of the State to the
difficulties they face.
A Dangerous ActivitySponge diving is not for the faint of heart,
as it poses several risks. Apart from the risk of being short of
breath and experience a deep-water blackout, the most fundamental
danger that lurks in every dive is divers' disease, which describes
a condition arising from dis-solved gases coming out of solution
in-to bubbles inside the body on depres-surization. This dangerous
condition can lead to paralysis or even death.
As tombstones found in Cyprus and Sicily prove, the Kalymnians
are famed for their love
of the sea. The occupation of the inhabitants of the island of
Kalymnos with the dangerous
profession of sponge diving is lost in the mists of time. The
old and new Kalymnian sponge
divers have always had just their boats and boldness as
allies.
The Adventurous Sponge Divers of Kalymnos
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 27
PrevezaPreveza sure has its fanatic admirers, who characterize
this small
picturesque town as beautiful in summer, and also as sweet,
melancholic and nostalgic during the other seasons of the
year.
Must SeeThe Old Town of Preveza A walk around the old town is a
must. In addition to many in-teresting tavernas, the visitor will
see stone alleys with old houses, such as the famous Saito Pazar,
where the poet Karyotakis lived, as well as the churches of St.
Athanasius and St. Charalambos.
Nikopolis Octavian Augustus built this Roman city after his
victory over Cleopatra and Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium.
Travellers can visit the city walls, the conservatory, the
mon-ument of August, the baths, some excellent mosaics and the
museum.
The Castle of Pantocrator At a distance of about three
kilometers from the town center stands the castle of Pantocrator.
The castle faces the town on one side and the sea on the other,
making it the ideal destination for sunset, when visitors can take
a stroll on the settlement’s walkway along the water.
Acheron River The Acheron river springs from the villages
Serziana and Systrouni in the region of Lakka, Souli. From the
village of Trikastro begins an incredibly beautiful path along the
river, which runs through the nar-rowest point, the Gates of Hades,
and ends in the village of Glyki.
Zalogo The monument of Zalogo, located at the point where the
women of Souli committed suicide to avoid falling into the hands of
the Turks, compensates the visitor with its rich history and
unparalleled views. Nevertheless, be warned: there are just over
400 stairs to reach the monument.
Parga Parga is a popular summer destination. With its alleys
reminiscent of an Ionian island, the small island opposite the
harbor and the castle overviewing the whole town, Parga will surely
impress any traveller. Visitors are en-couraged to board a boat at
the port and visit the nearby islands of Paxi.
T R A V E L W I T H A E G E A N
Aegean service stations
A s the capital of the homonymous prefecture, Preveza is a
well-con-nected port in Epirus. Since 2002, Preveza has been linked
with the mainland via the high-tech underwater Preveza-Aktio
tunnel. The small town of Preveza is therefore easy to reach and
just a short dis-tance from Athens through the Aktion-Preveza
underwater link, as well as from Thessaloniki via the Egnatia
highway.
As a small country town, Preveza can offer visitors relaxation
and, as it is widely known around Greece, good food. With
Amvrakikos Gulf on one side and the Ionian Sea on the other, guests
can feast on a variety of delicious fish like the Papalina sardine
and seafood such as the famous blue-colored Gabari prawn, which the
locals accompany with Pilavas Ouzo.
Πάργα
-
I Protect the Environment-I Safeguard my FutureBy staying
informed about what is happening in the world and by passing the
information on to
others, we are taking a significant step toward the protection
of our planet.
CHILDREN AND THE ENVIRONMENT
I BECOME INFORMED - I INFORM OTHERS - I ACT
28
A Gigantic Underwater Microcosmos
28 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
Thanks to the enthusiasm of divers and ocean researchers, the
fascinating microcosm
of the seabed is no longer a vast mystery. Today, with the help
of technology, we can
all study and admire the enchanting world of the ocean just like
divers experience
it and immortalize it through their camera lens. With the
magnifying power of an
underwater camera and the laboratory microscope, the human eye
has the ability to
discover, up close, amazing images of even the most microscopic
aquatic organisms.
So, the infinitely small marine microorganisms are transformed
into "giants" with
awesome features.
Source: Nikon Small World Photography Competition
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 29
The microscopic marine organism Cristatella mucedo
6,5χ
A microscopic organism of the Membranipora species found on
seaweed and kelp
20χ
Starfish
8χ
Cyanobasteria
20χ
Live marine red algae (Neoptilota asplenoides)
40χ
Coral of the Goniastrea species
25χ
100χ
Seaweed Acetabularia calyculus
800χ
Microscopic algae of the Arachnoidiscus species
100χ
Coral dust
400χ
An organism of the Sonderia species that preys upon various
algae and
cyanobacteria
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30 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
Aegean and renowned designer Robbi di Kappa have
teamed up to design a brand new look for today! The
Aegean sport line, with its nautical influence, is perfect
for stepping out in style, in the city, by the sea, or on
country walks—for him and for her.
Bundle up or travel light in polos and t-shirts.
At home, relax in luxurious bathrobes.
And stash your gear in versatile and stylish Aegean bags.
Discover the new Aegean look at the Aegean Shop or
online at www.aegeaneshop.com
AEGEANCOLLECTION
Step out in style with the Aegean Collection
Aegean Shop at the Aegean Headquarters—
10 Akti Kondyli, 18545, Piraeus, Greece
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AUTUMN 2015 AEGEAN NEWS 31
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32 AEGEAN NEWS AUTUMN 2015
Aegean’s websiteswww.aegeanoil.comwww.ampni.com
Aegean Energy for the FutureAegean is Greece's most dynamic
energy, petroleum, and shipping group. The company has a network of
retail gas stations throughout Greece, is active in marine fuels
and lubricants, and operates a fleet of tankers and barges
inter-nationally and domestically to transport petroleum and
bunkers for its global base of clients.
RETAIL MARKETThrough its fast-growing network of gas stations,
Aegean supplies drivers in Greece with gasoline and automotive
lubricants. Aegean’s modern, well-maintained gas station network
has won the trust of drivers due to the high quality products and
services it offers at competitive prices. In addition, Aegean
directly supplies large industrial clients with petroleum products
of all grades, owing to the consistency and service of its
transactions.
BUNKER FLEET NYSE listed Aegean Marine Petroleum Inc., with an
exclusively double hull fleet—of which nine ships are
newbuild-ings—is the natural supplier of marine fuels at 12 of the
most significant ports in the world. Furthermore, with its 22
newbuildings program in progress and the continuous opening of new
stations, it is one of the most dynamically developing divisions Of
the Aegean Group.
BUNKERING Aegean provides one of the most efficient and
responsive bunkering services to clients worldwide. Its ships never
stop sailing and its services are available 24 hours a day, 365
days a year. Aegean operates bunkering stations in Pirae-us and
Patras, and in Gibraltar, Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp, Fujairah,
Jamaica, Singapore, Trinidad & Tobago, Portland UK, Vancouver
and Montre-al, Mexico, Tangiers, Las Palmas and Tenerife, Panama,
Barcelona, Algeciras, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Norfolk,
Charleston, Los Angeles, Ham-burg, the Gulf of Mexico, and St.
Petersburg. All its products are ISO 8217 certified. The Company,
which is a member of IBIA and is ISO 9001 certified, is well
positioned on the FOBAS White List.
SHIPPINGAegean's fleet of ships is at the heart of its superior
service worldwide. Its vessels operate in full compliance with EU
and international standards, are all certified by ISM, ISPS and MLC
as well as with ISO 9001, 14001, 18001 and 50001 and are in
complete compliance with SOLAS and MARPOL regulations. Aegean
continually adds to its fleet of ships, which transports oil
cargoes worldwide on behalf of major oil companies, commercial
clients, and Aegean customers. Its new GreenFleet
(http://www.green-fleet.gr) incorporates the latest technologies to
ensure reduced operating costs and reduced emissions, while
increasing overall performance.
LUBRICANTSAegean produces and markets high performance
lubricants for vehicles and industrial use under the Aegean brand
and, for the marine market, under the ALFA brand. ALFA marine
lubricants are certified and approved by the largest marine engine
manufacturers in the world.The resources of our company and our
follow–up service create our success-ful relationships and allow
Aegean to supply lubricants in more than 550 ports worldwide.
ENVIRONMENT-HECThe Hellenic Environmental Center collects,
transports and processes oil residues from ships and land units
(industrial, shipyards), while it also manages all liquid resi-dues
produced by ships. In order to carry out its work HEC has the most
state-of-the-art equipment, consisting of floating separators, a
fleet of pollutant-collecting tankers, and well-equipped tank
trucks.HEC acts to protect the marine environment and at the same
time contributes significantly to the saving of energy with the
recycling procedures it uses to transform the reclaimed pollutants
into energy resources.
TRADINGAegean is dynamically active in the trading of crude oil
and petroleum products worldwide. The Trading Department is
comprised of dedicated and professional individuals who combine
high level expertise and a great many years of experience in the
oil industry. Petroleum products are supplied to a broad spectrum
of customers who comprise the company's portfolio. Aegean has
acquired its credibility from the high quality of the services it
provides to suppliers and ship owners, a fact that supports the
company’s ambitions for the achievement of long-range goals in the
energy sector worldwide.