ATHENS – Development and Investments Minister Adonis Georgiadis attended a ceremony held at the Elefsina Shipyard to welcome the arrival on Friday of the first merchant ship – the supramax freighter “Star Cleo” built in 2013 – to dock there for repairs in almost five years.

Georgiadis visited the ship and had meetings with Panos Xenokostas, the President and CEO of ONEX, which has taken over the Elefsina shipyard, the head of Star Bulk Petros Pappas and Elefsina Mayor Argyris Economou, as well as representatives of the workforce.

“We are here to welcome the arrival in record time of the first merchant ship in many years at the Elefsina Shipyards for repairs, immediately after the relevant agreement for its restructuring and transfer to ONEX was submitted to the relevant court,” Georgiadis said.

The minister thanked Xenokostas for his initiative and Pappas for entrusting his ship, the first to dock for repairs in the new era for the shipyard, as well as the support shown by the mayor and staff.

Xenokostas, on his part, thanked the Greek ship owners that placed their trust in Onex, at the Neorion Shipyards on Syros and now in Elefsina, and especially Pappas, who took the first step with regards to Elefsina.

Pappas congratulated the government, Xenokostas for his decision to come to the Greek shipyard sector from the United States but also the shipyard staff and thanked them “because they give Greek ship owners the opportunity to finally repair our ships in Greece, to put our money here and not be forced to go to neighbouring countries…”