Atlas Maritime - History

History

Atlas Maritime has a long history and tradition in shipping. The company draws on the long history of the Lemos Family, a prominent Greek ship owning family which has been involved in shipping since the 18th century.

More than a century ago, in 1905, the great-grandfather of the principals, Christos M. Lemos was co-owner and first Master of the Marietta Ralli, which Greek shipping lore has commemorated as the first steamship owned by seafarers from Oinousses, one of the country’s foremost maritime islands.

In recognition of the contribution to the war effort, the family was recipient of one of the famous 100 Liberty vessels which restored the fortunes of the Greek merchant fleet in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Another among many touchstones of family pride is grandfather Leon C. Lemos, founder of Efploia Shipping, one of the most revered of Greek shipowners in the 1970s and 1980s.

After selling off 15 of his 17 vessels in 1980 just prior to the crash, Capt. Lemos re-entered the market in 1985 while conditions were still at a low ebb, ordering a series of 10 bulkers from Hyundai Heavy Industries, a shipbuilder with which Atlas has renewed relations with a newbuilding project of its own. Leon Lemos was a pioneer in the shipping industry, well ahead of his time. He was one of the first to introduce private equity investors into the capital structure of the company in the 1970’s, and also incentivized his employees by giving them shares of the vessels in order to align their interests with those of the company.

Captain Leon Lemos was the father of Mrs. Marigo Patitsas-Lemos, and the grandfather of Leon and Philemon Patitsas. Their father Spyros Patitsas entered the family business in 1968.