This year’s graduation ceremony at the renowned Massachusetts Maritime Academy included a distinction for Evangelos Marinakis, the founder and CEO of Capital Maritime and Trading Corp. who was honored with the degree of Doctor of Business Administration.
The commencement event at the Academy’s campus in Buzzards Bay took place on Saturday, June 22, in the presence of representatives of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, officials of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts like Greek-American House of Representatives member Steven G. Xiarhos and global shipping executives.
Other attendees included U.S Navy admiral William ‘Bud’ Flanagan, Michael Tusiani, the chairman emeritus of energy consulting and brokerage firm Poten & Partners, the former OCIMF chairman and long-time shipping executive Gerhard Kurz and U.S. Ambassador to Greece George J. Tsunis.
Marinakis was one of four personalities selected by the Academy to be honored at the 2024 commencement. The other three were Massachusetts State Senator Michael J. Rodrigues, Leon J. Topalian, CEO of Nucor, the largest steel manufacturer in North America and Brigadier General Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse, the last surviving member of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of distinguished all-Black military aviators who served with distinction in World War II.
The Greek National Anthem at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Marinakis was the only Greek citizen among four honorees, with the Academy band playing the Greek national anthem in his honor.
“Mr. Marinakis has a successful track record of more than 30 years in shipping and capital markets, having completed two IPOs and two major merger and acquisition transactions in US markets, and having grown the Capital companies throughout the shipping cycles,” said the Academy’s President Francis McDonald.
Marinakis is the founder and chairman of Capital Maritime and Trading Corp. The Capital Group controls a fleet of 130 vessels, with an overall tonnage of 12.5 million tons across the tanker, container, LPG, ammonia, LCO2, offshore, and dry bulk sectors. The fleet under management includes vessels of Nasdaq-listed Capital Product Partners LP.
He also owns European Confederation League winners Olympiacos FC and English premier league club Nottingham Forest FC,
“The sea and shipping is a passion.”
“I come from Greece, a small country in the Mediterranean – a small country with the largest merchant marine fleet in the globe.» Marinakis said. «For me, the sea, shipping and the maritime Industry have never been just a job or a business opportunity, it has been a passion. And there is nothing like being able to follow your passion all the way. Nothing in life is gained without struggle, be it in business, be it in sports, be it in art, be it in our daily life”.
