The Angelakou family is expanding into superyachts, with a long tradition in shipping and originating from Oinousses. As characteristically mentioned in “N”, Mr. Dimitris Angelakosits managing director Angel Yachtsthe company has already acquired two yachts, while it is building three more, with a total investment of over 300 million euros. At the same time, the family has invested in real estate. “These investments strengthen the Greek economy and create new opportunities for development and employment,” Mr. Angelakos points out.
The company has Greek crews on its boats. “Greek sailors work with passion and work overtime, because they love the sea and what they do,” he characteristically stresses, while regarding the Greek flag he points out: “There are gaps that need to be filled and services that need to be improved. We are prepared to become helpers in such efforts and to attract other traditional Greek families to this struggle, in good faith, with the national interest always in mind and in mind.”
His family has traditionally been involved in the maritime transport sector. This led him to invest in the maritime tourism industry and specifically in yachts, through his management company, Angel Yachts Co. (AYC);
“The privilege of myself and my brothers, who also work in the shipping industry, coming from a traditional maritime family and being fifth-generation seafarers, allowed me to see the opportunity and decide for the first time to invest in a different company, but at the same time in the same related sector, that of maritime tourism, always based on our existing know-how in ships. The combination of the development of the maritime tourism industry, especially in areas of intense tourist traffic such as Greece, with the fact that the demand for luxury (high-end) tourism products and services, such as yachts, gave me the trigger and an important motivation to get involved in this specific field. Investing in luxury yachts can generate high returns, as long as it is combined with a high level of service, which is a fundamental principle and objective. The objective of the company Angel Yachts is to respond and adequately satisfy the growing demand of tourists for unique, personalized and idyllic experiences”.
To date, you have acquired another 60m yacht and contracted the construction of three more in Italian shipyards. What is your total investment and what special features will your new buildings have?
“To date, the total investment exceeds 300 million euros. On the new ships, innovating as a company, we have chosen to give more “space” to the crew, creating more spacious cabins and equipping them with gyms and personal relaxation areas, so that they feel at home.
An important milestone is that we will enable people with special needs to have full accessibility, as this is non-negotiable for our company. Our boats will serve and be for everyone.
Of course, we have not left aside the aesthetic and luxury aspects. The boats will consist of 5 decks: SunUpper-Main-Lower and under the lower deck. The total number of guests will be 12, who can be accommodated in 7 cabins. They will also be equipped with a lift, beach club, gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and hammam.
Finally, we must not forget that, while fully respecting the environment and having as our main objective the emission of the minimum possible pollution, we, as a company, will give additional incentives to charterers to adjust the speed of the vessel to the limits with the optimum emission of pollutants, as this is the only solution, objectively”.
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Do you have plans to expand further into industries that combine sea and tourism?
“It is a fact that the whole family has also made significant investments in the real estate sector, which are included in our investment target within the country. These investments strengthen the Greek economy and create new opportunities for growth and employment.
This strategy is part of our family’s broader vision for the development of Greece, strengthening its economic position and leveraging its unique advantages.”
I want to dwell on two expressions that I heard you use. The first is “safe work” and the second is offering to the country. What exactly do you mean?
“Greece is a country that has experienced crises from time to time, with insecurity deeply rooted in the consciousness of Greeks. Our family, during the economic crisis (2009-2018), did not lay off any employees or reduce salaries. The principles I received from my family and especially from my mother remind us of our obligation to society to provide secure jobs. Our first concern, when we entered the yachting market, was that the crews would work all year round, so we are not talking about seasonal work, where today there is work but tomorrow there is no work.
Giving back to the country is the duty of every Greek man and woman. My father, Evangelos Angelakos, was the mayor of Oinoussa for 16 consecutive years and the reason was his love for his place. I want to emphasize the period of time, because time, although it cannot be bought, is very expensive and very important. We love Greece and want to contribute to its development. Our country has nothing to envy from other regions abroad that are glorified, but not everyone has the same zeal to work hard to achieve development.”
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Before arriving at the Italian shipyards, did you investigate the possibility of building the boats in our country?
“As mentioned above, our goal is to support the Greek economy, which is why our initial idea was to build the boats in a Greek shipyard. However, no Greek shipyard was able to meet the deadline or the number of vessels requested. After conducting market research in shipyards across Europe, we ended up establishing a partnership with The Italian Sea Group, brokered by Mr. Michel Chrysikopoulos of IYC Greece. The CEO of The Italian Sea Group, Giovanni Constantino, is a man with whom our philosophies, the way we work and the love for what we do fit very well.
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However, we support and strengthen the Greek workshops in many ways. At this point, I would like to mention some of our partners, such as Paraponiaris Bros., the rolling works of Messrs. Sarri, Konstantinidis and Dioli of the GoodWork Group company, the carpentry work of Mr. Kalamakis of Kalamakis Marine Carpentry, the electrical work of Mr. Aristidis Mantzaris of Navinco LTD. Furthermore, in terms of vessel supervision, we have the honor of working with Mr. Giorgos Tsokris and Mr. Aristidis Mantzaris of Navinco LTD. Finally, I would also like to mention our collaboration with Mr. Aristotelis Betsi of AB Yacht Design & Naval Architecture, a young professional who has earned our trust.”
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Despite using over 90% Greek crews, they chose the Maltese flag. Why?
“There are gaps that need to be filled and services that need to be improved. We are willing to help in these efforts and to bring other traditional Greek families into this fight, in good faith, with the national interest always in mind and in mind.”
We certainly do not use a foreign flag for tax reasons, as most people think, simply because its use by the company is most often an expensive additional solution, compared to having the Greek flag. It is everyone’s wish that the State be able to respond to modern challenges and facilitate us in emergency situations, so that the blue and white flag flies throughout Greece and why not also abroad.”
Badge for infrastructure, sustainable practices and education
Mr. Angelakos, what are the advantages of our country in terms of maritime tourism? What can be improved from a manager’s perspective?
“Greece, being a Polynesian country, offers a wealth of tourism options. The islands and waters of Greece are beautiful. However, there are areas that could be improved, such as modernizing infrastructure. Existing marinas and ports could be modernized to provide better services and increase capacity to improve accessibility. Although measures have been taken to increase berths, there is room for improvement.
Another area is environmental protection. Strengthening measures to protect the marine environment and promoting sustainable practices are essential to preserving the natural beauty of Greek waters. Greece is our home and we must take care of it. We cannot throw poop and trash on the beach and in the sea, we have an individual responsibility towards society.
Investment in education and training for personnel working in the maritime tourism sector will improve the quality of services provided. The development of training programmes in hospitality, safety and environmental management will be particularly useful. In addition, it is essential to strengthen marketing to promote Greece as a leading destination for maritime tourism internationally, as well as to improve the level of use of English.
Greek seafarers work with passion and put in extra hours because they love the sea and what they do. Of course, there are always exceptions, which the seafarers themselves should isolate from the market. A bad seafarer can create a bad impression on the entire industry, so these people should be marginalized.
To move forward, we must all work together: shipowners, shipowners, brokers, sailors and crews, with the Greek State as our helper and always our ally. United, to move Greece forward!”
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You recently welcomed the famous American actor Kevin Hart onto your boat as part of his birthday celebration. This has been a topic that has received special attention on social media abroad. How did you come to this decision?
“I learned through my acquaintances that Kevin Hart was looking to charter a yacht in Greece with specific specifications and high requirements for 2-3 days in view of his birthday, but could not find any available. Typically, boats of this size are chartered on the market for at least a week. As a gesture of goodwill, I offered him one of the boats managed by Angel Yachts free of charge.
This move gave Kevin Hart and his company the opportunity to enjoy, even if only for 3 days, what our enchanting Greek islands have to offer. They visited archaeological sites, combining cultural experiences with recreation, having fun with the water games offered by the boat, and enjoying the Greek summer.
This event was an advertisement for Greece, our islands, our hospitality and what we, as Greeks, are “privileged” to have. We will always take the lead as a company, but also personally as an individual, in promoting the “treasures” of our country.”