16 February 2016 - Philippine Ambassador to Greece Nestor Z. Ochoa swore in Mr. Harry N. Vafias, the newly appointed Philippine Honorary Consul in Piraeus, Greece, at the Philippine Embassy in Athens last February 10.

Mr. Vafias is the CEO of the Vafias Group of Companies, the third largest shipping group in Greece with a fleet of 88 vessels. He is also the founder of Stealth Maritime Corporation, which operates 22 modern double-hull oil tankers; and of Stealthgas, which is ranked as the number one gas transportation company worldwide in terms of owned vessels, with a fleet of 56 Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) carriers and four oil tankers.  Stealthgas has been listed in NASDAQ since October 2005.  

Prior to the oath-taking ceremony, Mr. Vafias was briefed by Philippine Embassy officials on the duties and responsibilities of a Philippine Honorary Consular Officer.

The establishment of a Philippine Honorary Consular office in Piraeus will facilitate the Embassy’s provision of services to some 50,000 Filipino seafarers onboard Greek-owned or Greek-flagged vessels that may dock in the Piraeus Port, the biggest port in Greece and one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean.

The Philippine Honorary Consulate in Piraeus is located at 137 Filonos Street, Piraeus, 185 36, Greece, tel. no. +30 210-625-0001, fax no. +30 210-625-4412. The Honorary Consulate will open on March 2016. END