An important legacy, not only for her family, but also for the entire Greek shipping, left behind by Athina (Nounou) Martinou, the soul and founder of the shipping giant Thenamaris Ships Management, who died on October 11, at the age of one. 97.
A native of Kefalonia and Elefsina, he was born in Glyfada. As she said in an earlier interview, “I’m from Kefalonia, but the fact that I was born in Glyfada played a role in my love for the sea, and I used to watch the ships passing by and I said to my friends, “We’ll make steamers too” and we did. We were mad about it and we did it and the whole family had a lot of fun.”
How he founded his shipping empire
The father of the Martin brothers, Ioannis Martinos (1907-1977), owned one of the most famous antique and art shops in Athens. He was from Stemnitsa in Gort a’ia. His wife, Athena, with whom they had 4 children, known as Nunou in maritime and secular circles, had roots in shipping as she came from a traditional shipping family of Meitinitis, originally from Kefalonia and Eleusis.
She played a decisive role in the Martinos family’s decision to enter the shipping business. The first investment was made around the middle of the 60s under the guidance of Athena Martinou, who decided to buy the first ship with the profits from the gallery and the works of art. The truck was named “Thanasis”, with a capacity of 10,000 tons. They bought it from N. Livanos company.
The first two ships were managed by the shipping company of the Methenitis family based in Piraeus and Kronos Shipping of D. Lemos based in the City of London.
However, in 1971, Athena Martinou decided to take over the management of the family’s ships. Together with her sons, Thanasis, Dino and Andreas, she founded the company Thenamaris Ships Management. Immediately afterwards he bought a third ship. The progress made by the company was great. In four years, in 1975, Thenamaris controlled a fleet of 36 ships, with a carrying capacity of 850,000 tons.
In the early years, first-born son Thanasis ruled next to Athena, and Dinos and Andreas gradually joined the business. The three brothers stayed together until the early 90s.
In 1991, Athena decides to give the reins to her children.
Thanasis Martinos leaves the company to create Eastern Mediterranean Seas.
In 1997, Andreas continued, going on to found the shipping company Minerva Marine, leaving Dino in charge of the parent company Thenamaris.
Minerva has now been taken by Andreas’ son, Andreas jounior, and by Nikolas Martinos, Dinos’ son, at Thenamaris.
“I was not alone”
She herself spoke cheerfully about the support she received from her family. As he said before, “in this endeavour, I was not alone. My husband was by my side from the first moment, but mainly it was my son Thanasis, who was doing statistics from the age of fourteen and writing down how many crews, what a ship needs. My husband, Ioannis Martinos, loved the sea. Thanasis, from the first discussion, was an active part of this effort. I was not the driving force, but I was the person who could make the difficult, easy. When you want something, you can do it. I have never made a directory. I loved Theamaris, not the manager. What I wanted was for my ships to increase and that happened.”
Describing Athena Martinou’s personality, the Athena I. Martinou Foundation, founded by her grandchildren, points out, among other things: “She is defined by her love for life itself. She herself is, as she typically says, “like the sea, feminine”. Her whole attitude towards life is the same as the sea. Love and passion, respect and devotion. That’s why she embraces life with all sides, be it calm and peaceful, or turbulent and stormy. Because Athena I. Martinou, like the sea, is never static. Bold and ambitious, hard-working and persistent, discreet and low-key, she is the Nunou of the Greek fleet.
For every action, every movement in the life of Athena I. Martinou, the sea was a source of inspiration. She was generous with her, as she is with those she loves and respects. She followed her dream with a lot of work, dynamism and passion, and she managed to win the respect and recognition of the shipping world with her merits.
Athena I. Martinou always returns to the sea to draw strength, and she wants to repay the generosity shown to her. Just as the waves of the sea travel far from us, so too, with a necessary, but quiet action for the benefit of the community from the Foundation, is trying to contribute decisively to the implementation of projects for the benefit of Greek society, to help him take effect. beyond his view, to travel, to go far.”
The funeral of Athena (Nunou) Martinou will take place on Monday, October 14, at 1:00 pm at the Holy Church of Panagia Faneromeni Vouliagmeni.
Source: OT.GR