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PAANtAgrIOuTIeS TSGAKrOeS ek CAPTAIN
The founder of the Τsakos Group speaks to 2board about the sea, Greece, Chios and the
phenomenon of Greek shipping. | Ο ιδρυτής της Τsakos Group μιλάει στο 2board για τη
θάλασσα, την Ελλάδα, τη Χίο και το φαινόμενο που λέγεται ελληνική ναυτιλία. Βy Ira Sinigalia
W hen you hear Captain Panagio- gist and author, she has been closely involved not us up so that we would be able to survive and pre-
tis Tsakos, founder of the Tsa- only in monitoring the health of the company’s sea- pare for a difficult life.
kos Group, speaking about his men and other personnel but also with seamen’s What do you remember about your mother?
experiences from Chios, the sea health at a research level. Dr. Saroglou has written Because our fathers were at sea for many years,
and shipping, it is like listening to a number of books on the subject, including “Health our mothers were our entire world. What we have
the strikingly lyrical poem of another seafarer, the at Sea” and the “Seafarer’s Medical Handbook ”, a become is chiefly their work. With their patience,
poet Nikos Kavvadias. With humour and candour, work for which she has received an award from fortitude, perseverance, strength and above all,
but also concern about the threats to Greek ship- the Academy of Athens. their self-denial. My mother was just how Kazant-
ping, the captain embodies the quintessence of the Let’s begin with your first time at sea. Were you zakis described his mother in his Report to Greco:
maritime spirit that played such an important part afraid? “My mother was a saintly woman... She had the pa-
in Greece’s history, characterized as it is by daring, Back then, those wishing to follow a career at sea tience, endurance and sweetness of the earth itself”.
adaptability and perspicacity which have enabled first had to gain experience on the caiques sailing Why did you establish a foundation with a fo-
it to overcome the problems of the past, define the mainly in the Aegean. It goes without saying that the cus on spreading the Greek language and cul-
present and shape the future. working conditions were exceedingly difficult and ture in Uruguay?
For the Captain though, it is his birthplace, Chios, the behaviour of the senior crew members very The people of Uruguay are literate and open-mind-
and his village, Kardamyla, that best encapsulate harsh. It was aimed at toughening us up, but often ed. They are familiar with both ancient and contem-
the essence of seamanship: “I recently read in a went to extremes. So when we eventually went to porary Greek culture, as they are throughout Latin
book that Chios was the daughter of Poseidon. I sea in ocean-going vessels, it seemed to us more America. This cannot be said of North Americans.
have been racking my brain and each time come like a leisure cruise. We had an electric refrigera- In contrast, Latin Americans are attracted by every-
up with a different answer: Was the myth created tor. Full! Hot water, a bunk, light and a fixed work thing Greek, including our language. So we thought
before the Chians became seamen? Or were the schedule! I wasn’t afraid, mainly because we had it might be a good idea to create a place for teach-
Chians already mariners when the myth was cre- no inkling of the dangers involved and the need to ing Greek, as well as other aspects of our culture,
ated?” Housed in an impressive neoclassical build- survive was paramount. including dances. Now these people are proud that
ing, the Maria Tsakos Foundation – Internation- How was your childhood on Chios? they can speak Greek and every year a large group
al Center of Maritime Research and Tradition has Difficult. I grew up during the Occupation, in con- visits our country! They are our best ambassadors.
been functioning on the island since 2010. In 2013, ditions of deprivation, on an island, in a village, There are now Greek names everywhere: Plaza
Panagiotis Tsakos and the foundation realized the among the elderly and women and children, be- Atenas, Escuela Grecia. Greece is all around you!
vision of the Captain’s late daughter, Maria, by es- cause the men remained at sea for long periods. What are the historical roots of Greek shipping?
tablishing Maria’s Home – Education and Culture We worked to help our family; we went to school As Greeks, we are a people that travelled to the ends
Campus, where 20 youngsters are currently stud- and now and then played stone-throwing games. of the earth to seek our fortune. We are a seafaring
ying. And as Captain Panagiotis has stressed in the In such circumstances our mother had to toughen people. “The rule of the sea is indeed a great mat-
past, the aim is for the educational estab-
GIANNIS DIMOTSIS lishment to become a centre for excellence ter,” as Pericles once said.
and advancement. Greek shipping existed even before there was
Captain Panagiotis’ family has, of course, a Greece. Before there was a country even gov-
been a crucial pillar in his life. He works erned by Greeks. Even the Romans recruited
closely with his son, Nikolas, who now con- Greek mariners, as did the Persians. This has
tinues his father’s work and – in addition to continued for many years. And thanks to the
his involvement in the family businesses – adaptability of the Greeks, depending on the
has become a prominent figure in the global needs of the time, merchant vessels were con-
shipping industry in his own right. And there verted into warships. And when it was neces-
can be no doubting the key role played by sary to sacrifice themselves for their country,
his wife, Dr. Irene Saroglou, as a primary they did so with the shipowners themselves
source of inspiration, support and his life- at the helm.
time companion. A distinguished cardiolo- What has the shipping community offered
Greece and what can it give in the future?
93
The founder of the Τsakos Group speaks to 2board about the sea, Greece, Chios and the
phenomenon of Greek shipping. | Ο ιδρυτής της Τsakos Group μιλάει στο 2board για τη
θάλασσα, την Ελλάδα, τη Χίο και το φαινόμενο που λέγεται ελληνική ναυτιλία. Βy Ira Sinigalia
W hen you hear Captain Panagio- gist and author, she has been closely involved not us up so that we would be able to survive and pre-
tis Tsakos, founder of the Tsa- only in monitoring the health of the company’s sea- pare for a difficult life.
kos Group, speaking about his men and other personnel but also with seamen’s What do you remember about your mother?
experiences from Chios, the sea health at a research level. Dr. Saroglou has written Because our fathers were at sea for many years,
and shipping, it is like listening to a number of books on the subject, including “Health our mothers were our entire world. What we have
the strikingly lyrical poem of another seafarer, the at Sea” and the “Seafarer’s Medical Handbook ”, a become is chiefly their work. With their patience,
poet Nikos Kavvadias. With humour and candour, work for which she has received an award from fortitude, perseverance, strength and above all,
but also concern about the threats to Greek ship- the Academy of Athens. their self-denial. My mother was just how Kazant-
ping, the captain embodies the quintessence of the Let’s begin with your first time at sea. Were you zakis described his mother in his Report to Greco:
maritime spirit that played such an important part afraid? “My mother was a saintly woman... She had the pa-
in Greece’s history, characterized as it is by daring, Back then, those wishing to follow a career at sea tience, endurance and sweetness of the earth itself”.
adaptability and perspicacity which have enabled first had to gain experience on the caiques sailing Why did you establish a foundation with a fo-
it to overcome the problems of the past, define the mainly in the Aegean. It goes without saying that the cus on spreading the Greek language and cul-
present and shape the future. working conditions were exceedingly difficult and ture in Uruguay?
For the Captain though, it is his birthplace, Chios, the behaviour of the senior crew members very The people of Uruguay are literate and open-mind-
and his village, Kardamyla, that best encapsulate harsh. It was aimed at toughening us up, but often ed. They are familiar with both ancient and contem-
the essence of seamanship: “I recently read in a went to extremes. So when we eventually went to porary Greek culture, as they are throughout Latin
book that Chios was the daughter of Poseidon. I sea in ocean-going vessels, it seemed to us more America. This cannot be said of North Americans.
have been racking my brain and each time come like a leisure cruise. We had an electric refrigera- In contrast, Latin Americans are attracted by every-
up with a different answer: Was the myth created tor. Full! Hot water, a bunk, light and a fixed work thing Greek, including our language. So we thought
before the Chians became seamen? Or were the schedule! I wasn’t afraid, mainly because we had it might be a good idea to create a place for teach-
Chians already mariners when the myth was cre- no inkling of the dangers involved and the need to ing Greek, as well as other aspects of our culture,
ated?” Housed in an impressive neoclassical build- survive was paramount. including dances. Now these people are proud that
ing, the Maria Tsakos Foundation – Internation- How was your childhood on Chios? they can speak Greek and every year a large group
al Center of Maritime Research and Tradition has Difficult. I grew up during the Occupation, in con- visits our country! They are our best ambassadors.
been functioning on the island since 2010. In 2013, ditions of deprivation, on an island, in a village, There are now Greek names everywhere: Plaza
Panagiotis Tsakos and the foundation realized the among the elderly and women and children, be- Atenas, Escuela Grecia. Greece is all around you!
vision of the Captain’s late daughter, Maria, by es- cause the men remained at sea for long periods. What are the historical roots of Greek shipping?
tablishing Maria’s Home – Education and Culture We worked to help our family; we went to school As Greeks, we are a people that travelled to the ends
Campus, where 20 youngsters are currently stud- and now and then played stone-throwing games. of the earth to seek our fortune. We are a seafaring
ying. And as Captain Panagiotis has stressed in the In such circumstances our mother had to toughen people. “The rule of the sea is indeed a great mat-
past, the aim is for the educational estab-
GIANNIS DIMOTSIS lishment to become a centre for excellence ter,” as Pericles once said.
and advancement. Greek shipping existed even before there was
Captain Panagiotis’ family has, of course, a Greece. Before there was a country even gov-
been a crucial pillar in his life. He works erned by Greeks. Even the Romans recruited
closely with his son, Nikolas, who now con- Greek mariners, as did the Persians. This has
tinues his father’s work and – in addition to continued for many years. And thanks to the
his involvement in the family businesses – adaptability of the Greeks, depending on the
has become a prominent figure in the global needs of the time, merchant vessels were con-
shipping industry in his own right. And there verted into warships. And when it was neces-
can be no doubting the key role played by sary to sacrifice themselves for their country,
his wife, Dr. Irene Saroglou, as a primary they did so with the shipowners themselves
source of inspiration, support and his life- at the helm.
time companion. A distinguished cardiolo- What has the shipping community offered
Greece and what can it give in the future?
93
