The shipping roots of the Chaldeos family date prior to WWII when
Capt. Chaldeos' father Platon Chaldeos, who was a merchant, had time chartered one
small general cargo vessel to transport agriproducts from Southern
Peloponnesus to Piraeus. Unfortunately, his operations were disrupted with the
outbreak of the war and the sinking of the vessel.
In 1969 Capt. Chaldeos purchased his first
vessel m/v Efktimon with his brother Ioannis and Capt V. Maltezos.
Together they grew the fleet to 4 ships, but later, in April 1974 Capt. Chaldeos founded
his own company
Chaldeos Freighters Limited and started operating from his office at
3 Iassonos street in Piraeus. He purchased m/v Ardenal ex Arsenal
from Pateras Brothers Ltd and soon purchased more and larger vessels. Since the start of its business Chaldeos Freighters Ltd operated as a tramp vessel company under the
management of
Capt. P.E.P. Chaldeos and soon gained excellent reputation in the
shipping community.
In 1975 the Company got its BIMCO membership and in 1977, became a member of the Union of Greek Shipowners, as in order to be accepted, one is required to have at
least three years of immaculate track record as a shipowner.
In 1979 the company moved to new premises at St. Nicholas House,
4-6 Efploias street in Piraeus. In 1981 Ioannis Chaldeos founds
affiliate 'sister' company Totis Maritime SA operating from the same
office.
In 1993 moved to new address at 20 Filellinon Street in
Piraeus, Platon Chaldeos becomes Director and the Company changes its funnel mark to signify the start of a new
era.
Throughout the years Chaldeos owned, managed and
successfully operated many vessels up to Panamax size. In total, the number of
vessels under Chaldeos' ownership was 21 vessels, or 402,197
deadweight tons, transported tens of millions tons of cargo and
had employed hundreds of seafarers.
The last vessel was sold during the previous high market and the
Company is currently anticipating for more favorable market conditions to make a
new purchase.
In short, the Company's
achievements over the years are as follows:
- Managed to survive during the deep crisis of the 1980s,
while other giant and medium sized shipowners collapsed, and
through the modest market of the 1990s. Despite the difficulties
of the charter market were able to collect all hires, freights and demurrages,
without any losses from claims whatsoever.
- In line with the Company's policy, kept the vessels always
at high standards of maintenance and seaworthiness. None of the vessels was
ever delayed by the Coast Guard or Port State Control and none
of vessels ever incurred any losses to their underwriters.
- The Company's vessels, although overage, offered always perfect performance
and thus managed to attract the preference of first class major
charterers who fixed them repeatedly.
- Due to excellent track record with its banks managed to achieve 200%
financing.
- The Company honored its obligations to its lenders to the
fullest without any delay or
anomaly. In particular, a large Suisse Bank has confessed that,
during the 1980-1987 crisis, our Company was virtually its only client to
have repaid its loans.
- All shipping projects of the Company produced very good results.
Today, Chaldeos Freighters Ltd maintains its
established network of contacts worldwide and aims to acquire
new vessels in the short term. The intention is to expand but to
maintain the family business philosophy, i.e. to remain traditional
and conservative with strict cost control.
The Company now operates from its own premises at 22, Ag. Dionysiou street in
Piraeus where it has moved since 1995.
Chaldeos Freighters Ltd. is committed to ethical behavior and to
achieving and furthering best practice at every level of the
business. The Company's IMO number is 0519065.
Head of the Company today is Mr Platon Chaldeos.
The new funnel mark
The new funnel mark and emblem of our Company is the adopted
crest of Chaldeos family. It is comprised of three elements, the
Escutcheon (shield), the Greek Red Cross and the Coronet.
The Escutcheon
represents the noble tradition, the values, high morals and unity of
the family. The azure (blue) color of its field (background)
symbolizes the realm of sea and the saltire (diagonal cross)
in the middle stands for “X”, the initial letter of the family name Χαλδαίος
(Chaldeos in Greek). The white color of the
saltire is for pureness and integrity.
The Red Cross behind it
signifies our faith and trust in the divine and the gules
(red) color symbolizes the “shed blood”, i.e. metaphorically, the very
hard effort that characterizes our past and future achievements.
The Coronet that sits on top
of the Greek Red Cross stands for righteousness above all in our
conduct, the unity and dedication under one goal; that of success,
and the leading courage necessary to achieve it.
Historic fleet list gallery - The Chaldeos family vessels over the
years.
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