Greece

Lesvos's own passenger-shipping company is creating quite a stir by cutting travel times in half.

With over 2,000 islands and a strategic location in the eastern Mediterranean sea, Greece has always relied heavily on passenger shipping to cement its economic and social life. Despite a recent wave of consolidation and bankruptcies, the industry still accommodates numerous players at different levels. It is a tough and competitive business, and companies are rushing to modernize and rationalize in order to survive. NEL Lines has recently taken the industry to the next step in this process by launching French-built ultra high-speed ships which drastically reduce travel times. When the company decided to renew its fleet, the choice was between conventional and high-speed ships. "We chose ultra high-speed ships, which can travel at up to 40 miles per hour - twice the speed of conventional vessels," declares NEL's managing director Apostolos Athineos.
Apostolos J. Athineos, managing director and manager of Maritime Company of Lesvos

The company has come a long way since it was founded by the people of Lesvos, an island close to the Turkish coast, following the 1968 disaster of the Heraklion. Today it is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, with all the strict standards of management and accountability that listing entails. Athineos has contributed to most of these changes since he began working his way up the company ladder from the accounting department in 1973. With 30 years of experience in the business and the respect of his peers, Athineos has only one explanation for the success of NEL Lines: "It is a matter of love, of nurturing the company as if it were a person."

The launch of the company's two ultra high-speed ships unfortunately coincided with a sharp rise in fuel prices, for which they have a huge appetite. As a result, the benefits of this revolutionary innovation have been postponed. When the time comes, however, NEL Lines are in the best possible position to leave a lasting mark on the blue waters of the Aegean sea.

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