Angelikousi: “I’m Proud Our Ships Sail Under the Greek Flag”
Maria Angelikousi, one of the most powerful figures in global shipping, made a rare public appearance at the 10th Capital Link Maritime Leaders Summit in Athens on June 1, calling the closure of the Strait of Hormuz one of the most serious disruptions to the energy supply chain in decades.
Speaking to an audience that gave her a standing ovation, Angelikousi said the global economy has shown remarkable resilience since the closure, with key commodity prices rising, though not as sharply as she personally expected. She expressed confidence that Qatar's energy flows would return to normal once the strait reopens, drawing on more than 20 years of working with Qatari operators. She described them as experienced managers who will do everything humanly possible to restore flows.
"I am very proud of my choice that the vast majority of our ships carry the Greek flag" — Angelikousi
On LNG, she pointed to the United States as a critical gap-filler. U.S. exports hit 110 million metric tons last year and are on track for just under 130 million tons this year. Angelikousi said she believes the U.S. will become a major pillar of energy security for both Europe and Asia.
On the tanker market, she pushed back against fears of oversupply from new orders, noting the market is balanced when fleet age is factored in. By year-end, 48% of VLCCs will be over 15 years old and 22% will be over 20, a figure she said makes scrapping of shadow fleet vessels both necessary and urgent.
Angelikousi also welcomed the IMO's decision not to proceed with a framework that would have taxed shipping heavily for not using green hydrogen fuels, which she said simply do not exist at scale. She credited Greece's delegation at the IMO for supporting alternative proposals, which drew her most personal remark of the day. "I am very proud of my choice that the vast majority of our ships carry the Greek flag," she said, drawing loud applause from the room.
Each year, the Angelikousi Group takes on 700 Greek naval cadets, roughly 35% of all cadets admitted in Greece, distributing them across its fleet before promoting the best to officers, captains, and chief engineers.
