Following the acquisition of the Skaramangas Shipyards, shipowner George Prokopiou, honoured as the “Greek Personality of the Year” at the 2023 Lloyd’s Awards, is now investing in the Hellinikon project and Astir Vouliagmeni. His companies manage a mixed fleet of 135 vessels.
He is often referred to as the “king” of real estate due to his investments in properties around the globe, reportedly totalling 2,500.
Prokopiou recently reached an agreement to acquire over 30% of Astir Vouliagmeni. He gained wider public recognition with the purchase of the Skaramangas Shipyards. His three companies—Dynagas, Dynacom, and Sea Traders—manage a diverse fleet of 135 vessels.
Prokopiou was born on June 8, 1946, in Athens. His parents were refugees: His father was from Smyrna, and his mother was from Odessa.
Prokopiou purchased his first ship in 1971, a tanker named Pennsylvania. He founded Dynacom Tankers, Sea Traders, and Dynagas. By June 2014, Dynacom Tankers operated 54 vessels, Sea Traders had 29, and Dynagas controlled ten liquefied natural gas carriers, including four newly built ships.
In March 2015, his fortune reached $2 billion, with his companies owning 89 vessels, according to Bloomberg. In 2016, the maritime magazine Lloyd’s List ranked him 12th among the 100 most influential individuals in the global shipping industry. He has been listed annually from 2012 to 2023. Prokopiou has also served on the board of the Union of Greek Shipowners. In 2021, he acquired the Skaramangas Shipyards.
Prokopiou’s shipbuilding program currently includes over 70 vessels featuring very large crude carriers (VLCCs), long-range suezmaxes, product tankers, liquefied natural gas carriers, and a backlog of 30 bulk carriers.
When receiving awards, he often states: “This award is dedicated to Glyfada, where I was born and raised. It is where I fell in love with the sea and learned that the sea connects continents, cultures, and people. Unfortunately, it has not been understood that the only way to achieve prosperity and resolve our issues is through cooperation and constructive dialogue. Greek shipping, a major diplomatic tool for Hellenism, has the potential to smooth over aggressive behaviours.”
He adds, “After 74 years in the shipping industry, I made my hobby my life. I regret the things I haven’t done, not the things I have. I hope and pray that God grants me more years to realise my dreams. I want to express my deepest gratitude to my wife, Alexandra, and my four daughters, Eliza, Joanna, Marina, and Mari-Elena, who have embraced my path and are now following a similar journey.”
In early December 2023, he was honoured by the Lloyd’s Awards as the “Greek Personality of the Year.” That night, Prokopiou stated, “Greece, a small country without significant exports or an established shipbuilding industry, is the number one force in the global shipping industry. I had the illusion that the era of confrontations had passed and that we were in a time of collaboration.
I was wrong. I dream that one day, it will be common knowledge that cooperation, dialogue, and compromise are the best ways to create a better world.”
Nigel Lory, the awards organizer, remarked, “The hopes of the Greek shipyards for a revitalization of the shipbuilding industry rest on the shoulders of George Prokopiou,” adding, “He became the first winner to be voted twice as the Greek Personality of the Year.”
In July 2023, Prokopiou was awarded the Evkranti Prize at the Merchant Marine Academy for his overall contribution to shipping. His childhood friend, Thanasis Martinou, introduced him, stating, “George and I have been friends for over 50 years. Our families have known each other from our neighbourhood, Glyfada Beach. George’s great love, aside from his family, is the sea. As a child, he was a sailor and a diver. Today, he is the president of Greece’s largest and most emblematic sailing club, the Nautical Club of Greece. An engineer involved in construction, he quickly turned to shipping. He has a knack for technical issues and is also a practical engineer. I vividly remember his first ship, the ‘Pola,’ an old 10,000-ton freighter, where he dove in West Africa to make makeshift repairs to the ship’s propeller. This ship, the ‘Pola,’ with its successive technical and other adventures, was George’s thesis in commercial shipping.”
Martinou continued to profile his childhood friend: “Although George comes from a wealthy family, he learned about shipping through its challenges, not its comforts. Perhaps that’s why they say the woman who gives you hardships, in this case, the sea, is the one you love the most. His greatest loves are his wife, Alexandra, daughters, and grandchildren. They are his top priority in life.” He enumerated Prokopiou’s achievements: “For George, shipping is a passion, not just a profession. He is a pioneer and visionary, possessing the second-largest Greek fleet of LNG vessels. He owns the world’s first LNG icebreaker, which traversed and transported cargo through the Northern Sea Route. Two of his gas carriers are chartered to the German government and are currently contributing to the country’s energy independence.”
