Lucien Arkas, Chairman of Arkas Holding, shared his strategic vision for Mediterranean transport during the Chios International Shipping Summit.
Held for the second time this year on the island of Chios, the Chios International Shipping Summit opened with a speech by Stefanos Ghikas, Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy of Greece. The summit brought together academics, industry leaders, and public officials to discuss key issues such as green technologies, carbon markets, geo-economic balances, seafarers’ welfare, new trends in short sea shipping, and sustainable coastal transportation.
Summit Focus: Green Technologies, Geo-Economics, and Education
During his speech at the summit, Lucien Arkas stated: “The key to becoming sustainable in the maritime industry is to integrate sea and land. It’s not enough to remain at sea. If you can combine both, no one can take your business from you. The future lies in combined transport — where you pick up goods from a customer’s factory and deliver them directly to another factory’s door, that’s when you’re truly providing a complete service.”
“A 60-Year Journey Built on Patience, Courage, and Strategy”
Lucien Arkas has also reflected on the evolution and milestones of Arkas Holding since its establishment: “In 1964, I was just 19 when I took over our family business and established a shipping agency. But I soon realized that agency work alone wasn’t enough. Major companies were opening their own offices in the Mediterranean. We had to grow, too.”
Arkas noted that this strategic awareness led him to focus on investments, saying, “After the Suez Canal reopened in 1995, larger vessels began entering the Mediterranean but avoided smaller ports. So, I purchased two 500 TEU vessels and launched the Malta-Italy-Greece-Türkiye line. This move was followed by the opening of our Greece office in 1999, with operations starting with 500 containers. Back then, import and export volumes were very low. We said, ‘Let’s not sail empty,’ and began loading cargo from Izmir and Istanbul to Piraeus. That’s how we entered short sea shipping. Today, we have a fleet of 49 vessels operating in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, West Africa, the East Coast of the U.S., the Red Sea, and India. Sixty years ago, we were a small agency. Today, we transport 1.5 million containers annually with a 49-vessel fleet.”
“Corporate Loyalty is Built Through Culture and Education”
Beyond commercial success, Arkas also highlighted their achievements in education, stating that they aim to provide the sector with qualified human resources through the educational institutions they have established in Izmir: “We must train knowledgeable, competent youth in the maritime industry. We’re simply their mentors. Watching them grow and commit to the company is our greatest reward. We are a family of 8,000. What matters to me is that everyone feels this company is their home. Corporate loyalty is built through culture and education.”
