Dear Mr Malichudis,

Following our earlier correspondence, I am providing below some information about the business which we believe to be useful, in the hope that it will help you in your reporting and in recording the effects of this unprecedented crisis on the company and the sector generally.

We remain at your disposal for any additional clarification or information, and we await your article with interest.

Specifically:

Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the restrictive measures, the aviation sector is facing the biggest crisis in its history. The studies conducted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show that in 2020 the sector recorded losses of over 118.5 billion dollars, requiring direct state interventions totalling 35 billion in Europe for the support of the airlines, and 70 billion to date in the USA. Full recovery is expected to take 3-4 years according to international estimates.

AEGEAN has an impressive track record and contribution to the Greek economy – investing systematically in its fleet, with a network covering 47 countries and 157 destinations – and employment. Between 2013-2019 the company created more than 1,000 new jobs, without counting indirect employment. Its turnover in 2019 exceeded 1.3 billion, with 80% coming from abroad, while it moved 9.5 million passengers on its international routes alone, making a significant contribution to the economy. Its direct annual contribution to our country in taxes, contributions and infrastructure levies reached 390 million in 2019, and exceeded 2.8 billion in the decade 2009-2019.

At the same time, the quality of operations and service brought recognition to AEGEAN, which was named the best regional airline in Europe, creating a superb high-quality reference point for our country and its tourism offering.

In recent years, prior to the outbreak of the crisis, out of approximately 3,000-3,100 staff employed over the summer season, roughly 2,400-2,600 have also been employed in the winter, despite the fact that our winter flight activity is just 40% of the summer. It is clear that seasonal contracts are necessary due to the large variation in activity levels.

At the same time, in its effort to offer opportunities to people, around 800 individuals were moved internally between posts for their professional development over the last 4 years. Every year, around 700 staff participate in annual target schemes with bonuses linked to company profitability. Almost 100,000 hours of training take place every year. For these reasons, AEGEAN was named Greece’s top employer to work for in Greece, according to an annual survey by the company Randstad.

The impact of the unprecedented pandemic and the restrictions on movement imposed by states was immediate and inconceivably harsh. All European airlines were forced to make significant cuts in headcount. AEGEAN made the least possible contract terminations, which did not exceed around 5% of staff (obviously in total accordance with employment law), a much lower percentage than state and private airlines in Europe. At the same time, in an effort to support its workers to the extent possible during the crisis, it provided significant additional support to cover the basic needs of staff who were furloughed during the first three months of the pandemic. After a brief return to service between the middle of June and the second lockdown in November, it made use of the “Syn-Ergasia” programme, in which the employer naturally continues to bear the burden for staff working time, while the state makes up part of the employee’s lost income. Naturally, a significant portion of our workers remained fully employed.

From the first moment, and for the duration of the pandemic AEGEAN has provided for and continues to provide for the protection of its workers and to protect jobs, making use of the state’s horizontal measures.

Following approval from the EU in December 2020 and the passage of the relevant law at the end of January 2021, the company is due to receive 120 million as partial compensation for the losses caused by the pandemic and the restrictions on movement during 2020, on condition that a) there is first a capital increase of 60 million euros from private investors, a condition that is implemented for the first time in Greece (compared to models of state support implemented in other countries and airlines), and b) with the completion of the process, the Greek state will be given an option to purchase company shares at the price of new share issues, which it can exercise over a five-year period. Compared to countries of equivalent GDP and population, such as Portugal, but also Germany, France and others, the degree of support is much smaller compared to levels of activity.

The company is proud of its contribution to the economy and its policy towards its people and looks forward to becoming once again productive for the country, its workers, and its shareholders, once the pandemic has subsided.

With kind regards,

Marina Spyridaki
Manager Corporate Affairs
[email at the disposal of Reporters United]

Το άρθρο Aegean Airlines response to questions from Reporters United εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο R•U.

Black Trail is a documentary investigating the shipping industry’s impact on climate change. It was made by the EIC network (European Investigations Collaborations) and produced by Expresso, The Black Sea, SIC TV and Reporters United.

In his statement Mr Laskaridis claims his quotes were taken “from unrelated conversations”. He calls EIC, the network of journalists that made the documentary, “a network of unspeakable Portuguese journalists”. Laskaridis argues that the motive behind those publications on social media “was to blacken my image, as well as to muddy the waters within the industry and among industry players.”

Finally, he warns that “those who thoughtlessly and libellously used these edited statements will of course suffer the consequences of their actions.”

Here is the full statement:

“Over the last two days certain statements of mine taken from unrelated conversations, which did not relate in any way to the present state of our shipping industry, and of course neither to the Prime Minister nor the Minister of Shipping, were published on social media – statements which were made to an unspeakable network of Portuguese journalists, who used them maliciously out of context and out of sequence.

These statements were leaked by circles on the fringes of the shipping industry whose only purpose is to blacken my image, as well as to muddy the waters within the industry and among industry players.

Regarding my own views on the shipping industry and its institutions, I can point to the hundreds of published statements and speeches I have delivered on Greek shipping, to my innumerable interviews with the Greek and international press over the decades during which I have had the honour of representing the interests of our shipping industry.

Those who thoughtlessly and libellously used these edited statements will of course suffer the consequences of their actions.

Finally, regarding the esteem and respect in which I hold the Prime Minister and the Minister of Shipping and the institutions which they represent, they are all perfectly aware of the views I hold of them, the shipping industry, and our Homeland.”

Το άρθρο Panos Laskaridis reacts to viral clip from “Black Trail” documentary εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο R•U.

1st response by the Laskaridis brothers

On October 14, 2020 we sent a series of questions by email to Panos and Thanassis Laskaridis. Some of our questions arose from our own original research, while others related to the Greenpeace report published in February 2020.

On October 20 we received the following response from Ms Rita Petropanayiotaki, Head Legal Counsel of the Laskaridis Shipping Company Ltd., on behalf of Thanassis Laskaridis.

Mr Chondrogiannos,

In reference to the questions you have posed in relation to your research on Mr Athanassios Laskaridis, we note the following:

The professional career of both Mr Laskaridis and his family is known. For the main milestones you may refer to a number of credible journalistic sources or Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanasis_Laskaridis

Over the past thirty years, the diverse business activities of the family  – which is headquartered in Greece, as is the shipping company – has created more than 6,000 new jobs in the country, contributing significantly to the national economy and contributing billions of euros to the Greek state.

The desire to contribute towards the country’s needs, particularly through the Athanassios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation is the subject of a recent interview by Mr Laskaridis in Sunday Kathimerini.

https://www.kathimerini.gr/life/people/1068100/thanasis-laskaridis-chreos-ton-ploysion-i-prosfora/

The allegations by Greenpeace regarding industrial fishing have been addressed thoroughly by the credible legal office of Hill Dickinson. You may be informed of the content of the response to the organisation in the attached correspondence.

With appreciation,
Rita Petropanayiotaki
Head Legal Counsel
For Laskaridis Shipping Company Ltd.
(As agents only)

In their response, the Laskaridis side attached a letter which had been sent on their behalf by Hill & Dickinson to Greenpeace. Following an exchange of emails, the Laskaridis side informed us that we could use the content of the letter to Greenpeace, but could not publish it in full. In our publication we have included excerpts from the letter.

2nd response by the Laskaridis brothers (regarding a press report relating to Zeus+Dione)

On November 18, we sent a new question to the Laskaridis brothers. In our investigation we planned to make brief mention of publications by Documento newspaper, according to which a company controlled by the Laskaridis family participated in an investment in teh company founded by the wife of the current prime minister, Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotaki. We thought it important to give the Laskaridis side the opportunity to confirm or deny publications which have been widely circulated in the media and social media (we addressed the equivalent question to Ms Grabowski-Mitsotaki, but did not receive a response). We also asked the Laskaridis side if they hold any ownership shares in media organisations. What follows is the response of Head Legal Counsel Ms Petropanayiotaki on behalf of Mr Thanassis Laskaridis.

Mr Chondrogiannos,
The Laskaridis family and the legal entities in their control always act in accordance with the law in all countries in which they pursue business activities. Therefore, anything concerning the family as natural or legal persons is declared to the tax authorities in the countries concerned. As a matter of course we do not respond to publications, nor do we participate in media organisations directly or indirectly, a fact which would in any case be obvious due to the legal obligation to disclose the names of shareholders in publishing businesses. However, as we have noted that you persist in posing malicious questions with the intention of deceit, for reasons unknown to us at present, we inform you that we will defend our legal rights as natural and legal persons wherever necessary, in Greece and abroad, as well as our personal data.

Το άρθρο The Laskaridis brothers’ responses to the questions posed by Reporters United εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο R•U.

1. Correspondence with the Laskaridis family

Full responses given by the Laskaridis family and their representatives to the questions put by email by Reporters United.

Responses from the Laskaridis family to Reporters United

2. Documents

Equasis records for each of the 14 Laskaridis ships held at port, and the three Laskaridis family companies (Laskaridis Shipping Co. Ltd, Lavinia Corp., Baltmed Reefer Services Ltd.). The documents are published on the DocumentCloud platform.

Vessels held at port

• Zefyrus Reefer
• Aeolos
• Frio Las Palmas
• Proteas
• Cool Girl
• Pamyat Ilicha
• Thisseas
• Frio Oceanic
• Idomeneas
• Ariadne
• Frio Shinano
• Frio Athens
• Frio Dolphin
• Frio Hellenic

Laskaridis family companies

• Laskaridis Shipping Co. Ltd
• Lavinia Corp.
• Baltmed Reefer Services Ltd.

3. Tables and maps

[Map] Ports where Laskaridis company ships were held at port

[Table] List of ships connected to Laskaridis shipping empire

[Table] Skyfrost: Port inspections and deficiencies

[Table] Proteas: Port inspections and deficiencies

[Table] Thisseas: Port inspections and deficiencies

[Table] Uruguay Reefer: Port inspections and deficiencies

Open data sources

Equasis – information on ownership and management of vessels, flag, deficiencies and detentions relating to port inspections.
MoU Paris – information on port inspections carried out under the Paris MoU.
MoU Tokyo – information on port inspections carried out under the Tokyo MoU.
Open Corporates – information on company ownership.
Global LEI Index – Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) information.

5. Reports

Fishy Business: How transhipment at sea facilitates illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing that devastates our oceans, Greenpeace, 2020
Monster Boats: The scourge of the oceans, Greenpeace, 2014

6. Tools

DocumentCloud – for document publication.
Datawrapper – for data visualisation.

Το άρθρο Resources: “The murky waters of the Laskaridis shipping empire” εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο R•U.