Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers and Exporters (HEMEXPO) - Experts & Thought Leaders

Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers and Exporters is celebrating its 10th anniversary, a milestone for an organisation that has become one of Europe’s major supplier associations for international shipping. Established in 2014 to create a platform to unify the previously fragmented marine equipment manufacturing sector in Greece, the association initially served 15 member companies with a combined annual turnover of €178 million.  Industry practices and R&D Currently, HEMEXPO comprises over 30 members, while turnover has increased by close to 400% to €676 million, highlighting the association’s remarkable growth over the past decade. HEMEXPO’s strategy to drive best industry practices and support research and development has been clear from its proactive approach to forming alliances within and outside the maritime industry. As a member of SEA Europe – The Shipyards & Maritime Equipment Association of Europe – HEMEXPO also fully supports efforts to recognise the role of shipbuilding as a crucial component in the continent’s sustainability and security. Greek maritime technology “HEMEXPO has come a long way since 2014, but it continues to represent the best in Greek maritime technology and remains committed to its mission of promoting Greek innovation,” said Eleni Polychronopoulou, HEMEXPO President. She adds, “Through far-reaching collaboration, both locally and globally, we have formed an extensive network of agents and pioneering partnerships to ensure Greek manufacturers have a strong presence on the European and international stage.” Commercial, naval, and leisure vessels The collective portfolio includes the latest energy-saving devices to facilitate shipping’s green transition Technology from HEMEXPO member companies features a broad range of commercial, naval, and leisure vessel types all over the world,  across both newbuild and refit projects. The association’s collective portfolio includes the latest energy-saving devices to facilitate shipping’s green transition. It also offers a gateway to digitalisation, with several HEMEXPO members specialising in innovative digital solutions that enable smarter vessel operations to enhance safety, efficiency, and profitability, while minimising the burden on the crew. Talent-acquisition programme Eleni Polychronopoulou states, “As the challenges facing the maritime industry continue to evolve, a greater variety of competencies and knowledge will be needed to overcome them.” She adds, “HEMEXPO is committed to investing in the human factor, which lies at the core of Greece’s marine equipment manufacturers. To this end, we are working to establish a talent-acquisition programme that will use training and educational partnerships to equip new entrants into shipping, as well as the current workforce, with the skills to thrive in the green and digital economy.”  HEMEXPO’s 10th-anniversary celebration event takes place on 3rd December 2024 at Skaramangas Shipyards, Greece.

ERMA FIRST, a pioneering sustainable maritime solutions provider, has teamed up with the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA), the Municipality of Perama and the local community to clean up Perama Beach as part of the company’s wide-ranging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy. The event, which took place on 30 August 2024, saw over 80 participants collaborate to clear over 30 large refuse bags’ worth of recyclable and non-recyclable litter from the Perama coastline. HELMEPA Silver Badge Both ERMA FIRST and EPE received a HELMEPA Silver Badge for their duty to marine litter collection Employees of ERMA FIRST, Environmental Protection Engineering (EPE), EPE Yachting, and Metis were joined by members of the local community; representatives of the Municipality of Perama including Mr. Yiannis Lagoudakos, Mayor of Perama; and HELMEPA, who provided a minivan to transport people and recyclables. Both ERMA FIRST and EPE received a HELMEPA Silver Badge for their commitment in marine litter collection and for pioneering the recent beach clean-up initiative in Perama, a voluntary marine clean-up action that contributed to the collection and recording of marine litter and to HELMEPA’s mission “To Save the Seas”. Far-reaching CSR strategy Mr. Konstantinos Stampedakis, Co-Founder & Managing Director, ERMA FIRST GROUP, said: “Aligning perfectly with our far-reaching CSR strategy, this event was a fantastic opportunity for us to give back to our community, protect our beautiful coastline, and enjoy some fresh air with colleagues." "Thank you to the ERMA FIRST, EPE, EPE Yachting, and Metis team members who took part and to HELMEPA for their support. We were also honoured to welcome Mayor of Perama, Mr Yiannis Lagoudakos, to the event and would like to extend our gratitude to the Municipality of Perama.” Drive community engagement Ms. Eleni Polychronopoulou, President, ERMA FIRST GROUP, commented: “Our latest voluntary beach clean-up event has been a great success. However, while we are proud of the volume of rubbish we removed from our coastline through hard work and collaboration, we know that keeping our beaches clean in the long term relies on education." "We were therefore delighted for the opportunity to drive community engagement and discuss with participants our shared responsibilities and the importance of volunteering, recycling, and taking care of the planet. Planet Earth is our home, and we must protect and preserve it by all means for a better future for all – especially for the generations to come.” Marine ecosystem According to Mr. Kimon Mademlis, Marketing & Communications Director, ERMA FIRST GROUP, “the Group’s initiative to organise and lead this specific CSR action reflects its mission to preserve and protect the marine ecosystem and reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – in particular, SDGs 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; 13: Climate Action; and 14: Life Below Water.” “In addition, the action aligns with ERMA FIRST GROUP’s status as a signatory of the EU Mission Charter ‘Restore our ocean and waters by 2030’; our support of the European Union’s Environment and Climate Green Week; and our three strategic pillars of local community, inclusivity, and sustainability,” Mr. Mademlis underlined. The company had also registered the event as part of the EU Beach Cleanup campaign and as a European Climate Pact ‘satellite event’.

METIS Cyberspace Technology has appointed Panos Theodossopoulos as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in a move designed to consolidate the company’s position as a pioneer in maritime digitalisation and extend market penetration.    An expert in driving business development through technological innovation, Theodossopoulos has considerable experience in leadership roles in the ICT and maritime sectors. Extensive industry experience In recent years, Panos Theodossopoulos has specialised in maritime digitalisation, co-founding a successful maritime tech start-up in 2015 and later serving as Chief Digital Officer at OceanKing, a pioneering marine technical and commercial group. Previous positions include Director of Public Sector Sales at Microsoft Hellas and General Manager of Cloud Division at SingularLogic.  METIS - frontrunner in maritime digitalisation  METIS has established itself as a major player in the Hellenic shipping community and as a frontrunner" “In a relatively short time, METIS has established itself as a major player in the Hellenic shipping community and as a frontrunner in maritime digitalisation – both locally and internationally,” commented Panos Theodossopoulos.  He adds, “It is, therefore, an honour to be appointed CEO at this exciting stage in the company’s development–and I look forward to building on the success that has already been achieved.” In welcoming the appointment, Eleni Polychronopoulou, METIS President, said: “Panos possesses extensive knowledge of digitalisation in and outside of shipping and the invaluable experience of founding and propelling the growth of a maritime technology company. He is well known and respected in the Greek shipping community while also maintaining strong international connections.” Next phase of development Eleni Polychronopoulou, who will continue as President and remains fully engaged in the business, added: “As CEO, Panos brings exceptional insight and a truly collaborative approach to pioneering the next phase of development at METIS.” Panos Theodossopoulos holds an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, Massachusetts, United States, and a PhD in the same subject from Imperial College London, United Kingdom.