Greek Merchant Navy News

Captain Zenon Sdougos, a long-serving and highly esteemed contributor to the work of the International Maritime Organization, has died at his home in London. He was 89. Captain Sdougos began his long maritime career as a deck officer in the Greek merchant navy, before joining the Hellenic Coast Guard, where he achieved the rank of Captain. In 1961, he joined the IMO Secretariat to work in the Maritime Safety Division. In 1976 he retired from IMO, having risen to the post of Director of the division. He then began a new career, as an advisor to the Union of Greek Shipowners, in which capacity he continued to make an outstanding contribution to the work of the Organization.

Efthimios Mitropoulos of Greece has been elected as the new Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, to succeed the incumbent William O’Neil of Canada when he steps down from the post at the end of this year. Mitropoulos was elected to the post by IMO’s 40-member Council, beating out competitors Magnus Johannesson of Iceland and Monica Mbanefo of Nigeria. Speaking after the announcement of his victorious bid, Mitropoulos said, “I am delighted with today’s decision of the Council to appoint me as IMO’s new Secretary-General to succeed Mr. O’Neil as from next year. I look forward to the Assembly approving the decision of the Council.