Ukrainian firms choose Greece

Longstanding professional and cultural ties have allowed Ukrainian shipping professionals to relocate to Greece following last February’s Russian invasion.

Ukrainian firms were already present in Piraeus and some have boosted their personnel here. But others have relocated their business to Greece. They were attracted by the fact that Piraeus is already a globally important hub for shipping companies, as the Greek-owned merchant fleet, under various flags, is the world’s largest.

Moreover, hundreds of Greek-owned shipping firms, already employed thousands of Ukrainian seamen, including officers, on their ships and several of them have helped their employees bring their families to Greece.

Maksym Khaulin, ship management director of Ukrainian shipping company Intresco Ltd, one of the firms that has relocated to Piraeus, has brought his wife, children and parents with him. “Including the families, I would say there are at least 500 people [with shipping connections] here,” he told shipping publication TradeWinds.

Melina Travlos, president of the Union of Greek Shipowners and Neptune Lines, had already said in mid-March that she was committed to the welfare of the families of her company’s Ukrainian employees. “I personally promise to support them, by creating a safe and healthy environment, in an effort to ease their pain,” she had said.

Another shipping company, Technomar, has helped relocate many of its employees and their families to Greece.

Shipping managers and sailors are a small part of a significant influx of Ukrainian war refugees since the Russian invasion began on February 24. By last week, 75,942 Ukrainians, including 19,760 minors, had found refuge in Greece, according to data compiled by the Citizens’ Protection Ministry.

While sailors and their families were the first to relocate, an increasing number of managers are following: Most of them are already familiar with Greece and are professionally networked, such as Aquavita International, a dry cargo chartering firm.

Greek authorities have been very supportive to Ukrainians, issuing so-called “temporary protection cards” allowing them to rent, work and travel with no restrictions.