John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
+6 John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
John Faraclas – Specialist in Maritime Affairs, Consultant, Lecturer and Writer
On an early summer evening down at Falifornia’s Flisvos Marina, at Paleon Faliron whose seafront looks like California, I had the pleasure to meet Mr John Faraclas, a Greek specialist in shipping matters, writer and analyst in maritime affairs, with long experience as a shipbroker based in London over the last four decades.
Following a brief discussion at the Greek Ambassador’s residence on the 17th of January during the launching of GIWA awards, Mr Faraclas promised me, at the first opportunity, when in Greece, to talk to Volta about the Shipping industry, Greek politics, the financial crisis and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Faraclas originates from the Seafaring and Maritime Island of Vrontados in Chios, the offspring of four families who for nearly seven centuries, in a multitude of ways, have served the Greek Shipping industry – these families, are the Costalas, the Faraclas, the Georgandis, and the Margaronis. He is married to Anny Zade and with her partners and other family members they run allaboutshipping.co.uk., where he writes on issues related to the Shipping Markets and Geopolitics.
He has delivered over fifty speeches about Shipping issues and claims that Greek Shipping is the best for its ability to adapt to new realities every day.
“The reason for Greece maintaining a great position is due to “the Shipping Business and Seamanship and the negotiating skills of the Greek Masters of the Seven Seas, Greece’s Shipowners!”.
John states that Greek Shipping was heavily influenced by theBritish due to the uncertainties after the Second World War and the Greek Civil War which boosted London’s “shares” and advantages in Shipping.In the past, London showed its supremacy by maintaining its linguistic, legal, and security specialities. We are looking forward to read more about him in his memoirs and adventures titled “Black Sea Manoeuvres” which will describe the history of his large and extended family since the days when his family was ousted in 1917 from the Sea of Azov – Black Sea. “It is my turn to take Planet Ocean by surprise” he says.
His life and family John Faraclas was born in Piraeus and after awhile in 1953 he and his mother travelled to the distantIndia to meet his father, then captain of the Liberty s/s “Santa Despo”. John’s father, Captain Nicholas, a shipmaster, was one of the six children of Captain Michalis Faraclas family. He taught him a lot when sailing together. John considers himself a very lucky man to have had such a father in his life and his eyes brighten when he says:“My schoolmates in AKSS at Spetses, nearly “envied” me when I was telling them about that friendly relationship, a rare thing in our youth days.”
“My mother was a major chapter in my life, the beacon of my life, a unique woman, a heroine of the Second World War” he said. Marcella, was from the Costalas and Margaronis families, fought against the Nazis on the island of Chios whilst working at the Gestapo HQ as a postprifer. She was part of the Greek Resistance with her brother keeping the resistance wireless in the loft of the Margaronis house.In 1949, she was awarded the King George Medal forCourage at the British Ambassador’s residence in Athens, for her struggle during WWII. Her advice to John was to never get involved with politics. John was moved and influenced by his mother led to his later support for the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA).
The years at Anargyrios and Korgialenios School of Spetses (AKSS)
He tells me about the six memorable years at Anargyrios and Korgialenios School of Spetses. Mr. Faraclasis very proud to have graduated from “Greece’s, Europe’s and possibly one of Planet Ocean’s top colleges. The Anargyrios and Korgialenios College of Spetses – 1964 to 1970”. “Sotirios Anargyros, founder of the school, was a wealthy Greek from Spetses who visioned to give Greeks a bigger opportunity to create a better nation”, he says. Eleftherios Venizelos, former Prime Minister of Greece, idolised British leaders and wanted to encourage a generation of Greek leaders who would stabilise the country internally and lead Greece to glory against the Ottoman Turks. The school was modelled after their British counterparts in order to achieve academic excellence. Following the 50th Graduation Anniversary, this summer, John Faraclas strongly came to the view that AKSS should become an Academia for many fields of studies, shipping, sports and culture as well as a major Conference centre. “Saving the derelict Anargyros Mansion, a must”, he says.
His career
He studied at the Piraeus College of Shipping Studies and at the City of London Polytechnic, known today as Metropolitan University. He remembers working at his godfather’s Christopher Margaronis law office where it all began, to learn management and operations. “There, learned how the legal profession works at a local level, I mean in Piraeus and internationally,” he said. After the army, he was appointed by a small family group to run its ships and he joined family ships too for training.He laughs when he says:“Sheer ship-madness but for the good of my future career; even my 22nd birthday was celebrated on board the m/v “ByzantineMonarch” at today’s Docklands in East London.
Brexit
“Brexit will rock everybody”, said John. Europe had enough of German domination and needed to reform the Continent after the Second World War. Germany shouldn’t be accusing other nations of their faults since they are full of them. It’s the politicians that are causing the problems. It’s safe to assume, it’s better for Britain to not have any interference from outside countries like Germany.
Greek-Turkish relations
“It’s a situation where Turkey is pushing Greece. Turkey has business backers while Greece and Cyprus had no support until recently. If the Greek military has to respond, they will bring humiliation to Turkey and to its supporters”, says John.
Covid-19
John believes Coronavirus is terrible and inhumane. He stated that the European Union doesn’t have a coherent health policy to combat the virus and he believes that the only way to halt the spread of the virus is through discipline and honesty from the politicians.
