Not only the ships insurers but also the cargo insurers insist on high quality on ships, said the President of the Insurance Companies, Mr.Nicos Adamantiadis during a recent function for the Greek Register. Mr.N.Adamantiadis said the following: "While modern construction concern ships with high quality and complicated and sensitive mechanisms, the technical maintenance of these ships is faulty. There may be the original specifications but that is not enough. A constant follow up and control of the ships behaviour is needed and the drawing of practical conclusions is a must. As it is characteristically said, a ship must undergo inspection from the yard to the demolition unit, during her whole life. And precisely this element seems to have slackened according to the insurers. During a recent meeting of the International Union of Maritime Insurers this particular subject concerned the representatives of approximately 40 insurance markets. And the conclusion was that the insurers, as well as the banks that the finance to a great extend the new ships built, must endeavour the improvement of services offered by the Registers and the implementation of stricter rules and specifications. At this instance we must clarify that is not only the maritime insurers and the strict control that is exercised by the Registers. It is also the cargo insurers that assume, today, extremely high and complicated coverage and who are demanding that the ships are properly classified and controlled so that the insurance coverage costs less.

Electronic management and investments in the Port of Pireaus
(20 years ago September 1984)

Our maritime editor, Giorgos Komis, reports that the Pireaus Port Authority endeavours to acquire an electronic administration by using computers within 2-3 years. At the same time for the coming year the purchase of a container crane, 20 tractors, 20 lifting cars, 10 cranes with rubber tires, 36 lorries, passengers cars and special use vehicles and ten loading vehicles. This large development programme of the Pireaus Port is as follows: By the end of this month the Greek Productivity Centre will have delivered to the Piraeus port the surveys for the purchase of 2 computers which, along the one already in use, the Port Authority will ensure the modernization and optimum function of the harbour. Concerning the machinery equipment of the port, the General Manager of the Port Authority, Mr.George Prassianakis, made known that the purchase of the 10 Polish tractors accosting Drs 70 million through the import company Pagonis are in process and the auction for 10 straddle carriers costing in total Drs 350 million for which Drs 70 million will be invested during the coming year. Also there is a prevision for a purchase of a container crane with a lifting capacity of 40 tons, the time of its purchase not get being set as the construction works for the container terminal are not as yet completed. Finally the Piraeus Port will purchase 10 tractor of total value of Drs 85 million as well as 7 weighing platforms for lorres of total value if Drs 16.8 million.