The president of Contships Management, Nikolas Pateras, spoke about his journey in shipping, the milestone decisions of his career and his philosophy in ship management, as part of the 27th Marine Money Greek Ship Finance Forum.
Pateras looked back on his 40 years in the shipping industry, noting that he started during a period of crisis – an experience that shaped him as an entrepreneur. He also recalled his decision in 2006-2007 to sell his fleet, securing significant profits, before making a dynamic comeback with the creation of Contships, which today has a fleet of 65 ships.
Asked why he has never ordered newly built vessels, Pateras stressed that “it is preferable to have ships immediately available at sea, rather than waiting in the shipyards for them to be built”, without however ruling out future moves.
