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Thirteen Greeks are on the annual Lloyd's List - Top 100 of the most influential personalities in the world shipping industry. The first of Lloyd's Greek golden boys is George Economou who owns DryShips Inc. His company has a capitalization of € 1.5 billion, assets worth € 4.3 billion and it is listed on NASDAQ on Wall Street. He owns the company Cardiff Marine and controls the company Ocean Ring for underwater drilling. Although 2011 was not easy for anyone, Economou managed to move forward in the ranking and from number 15 in 2010, his successful business acumen has enabled him to climb up eight places this year.

The next Greek name on the list of the most powerful shipping tycoons in the world is John Angelicoussis, only two steps behind Economou, in ninth place. According to Espresso, Angelicoussis corporation owns 120 vessels, 20% of them operating with the Greek flag, making him now the most powerful shipping industrialist in the country. John has inherited the business from his father Anastasis, who founded Angelicoussis Shipholding Group Ltd. in the 1950s. In September this year, John Angelicoussis was awarded the Prize of the American-Hellenic Chamber "Man of the Year 2011" and is known for his lively patriotism. Upon receiving the award, he said in connection with the debt crisis with which the country is struggling, "Greece cannot die. It will emerge stronger from this crisis."

Third on the list comes a lady with a firm hand - Angeliki Frangou, who manages Navios Group. She comes from a family from Chios with traditions in the shipping business and she is an engineering graduate of Columbia University. She manages two shipping companies and a logistics company, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The net profit of Navios Holdings in the first nine months of 2011 reached $ 30.5 million and Angeliki Frangou takes the 23^rd place among the 100 most influential people in the shipping industry.

Nine positions after Mrs. Frangou is Peter G. Livanos. He has inherited the company Ceres Shipping from his father George and he is developing it very successfully. His wealth is estimated at approximately € 1.5 billion and he controls 100% of Ceres Hellenic Shipping. He graduated from Columbia University in New York and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Тhe chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping Spyros Polemis comes 55^th. He has a Degree in Mechanical Engineering, majoring in Naval Architecture. One of the reasons for his inclusion in the list of the 100 most influential people in world shipping is his high contribution to the fight against piracy and the problems with the Somali attacks on merchant fleets. His company Polembros Shipping Ltd, which he manages with his brother Adamandntios, is one of the ten largest Greek shipping companies.

Next comes the chairman of the Union of Greek Shipowners Theodore Veniamis. For him, Lloyd's List compilers said, "Veniamis is the key man in the key industry in one of the key nations behind the eurozone crisis." Obviously, since Greece turns to be the stone that will push the cart of the global economy, ship industry analysts are not willing to underestimate the role that the chairman of the Union of Greek Shipowners can play.

The next Greek in the Top 100 is Victor Retsis, who is ranked 64^th. He manages a rapidly growing company based in Athens with interests in financial business and close cooperation with China. After him, 65th, is Costas Grammenos - one of the best academicians and an expert in the finest details of financing in shipping industry. He is a professor at Cass Business School and according to Lloyd's List, his presence among the most influential people in the shipping business is absolutely justified because of his academic contributions.

Ship industrialist Constantinos Martinos is two positions behind the Greek professor of international recognition in 67^th place. He is the Principal of the company Thenamaris and made huge investments in LNG tankers (for transportation of liquefied gas) in 2011 despite the difficult economic conditions. The company manages a total of 40 vessels, of which 34 are tankers.

Evangelos Marinakis is ranked 84^th. He not only owns one of the largest football clubs in Greece, Olympiakos, but is also a successful businessman in the shipping industry with Capital Maritime Corp. Experts from Lloyd's List focus on Marinakis’ strategic move to merge the companies in the holding to reduce costs in the difficult 2011. Five positions after Marinakis, at number 89, is the name of Epaminondas Embiricos who manages the company Embiricos Shipbrokers Ltd. It has one hundred years of history and the Empirikos family is known for its entrepreneurial spirit.

Peter Georgiopoulos, chairman of General Maritime, is 91^st. From top of the shipping industry, the company now has fallen into a difficult situation. The businessman is in financial difficulties and requested asylum by resorting to Chapter 11 of the USA Act on bankruptcy in order to prevent seizures and other active actions by creditors, while trying to apply and implement a financial recovery plan. The last Greek in the list of Top 100 most influential people in the world's merchant fleet is Haralambos Fafalios. He chairs the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee in London and is included in the list as one of the representatives and supporters of the Greek shipbuilding community in the world.