Greek Steamship Company - Founding and Early History

Founding and Early History

The Greek Steamship Company was established in 1856 in the city of Hermoupolis (often spelled "Ermoupoli"), on the island of Syros. This was the first steamship company in Greece. The primary task of the company was (1) to link up the Greek islands (particularly the Cyclades) and the coastal cities and (2) to better connect Greece with wider Europe and the Middle East. In 1832, Athens was named the capital of the newly independent Kingdom of Greece, however Ermoupoli in Syros remained the commercial and industrial hub until the mid-19th century. In some instances the steamship company is sometimes referred to as the "Greek Steamship Company", though British Foreign Office documents refer to "The Hellenic Steam Navigation Company".

The operations of the company's steamships began in earnest in 1857 with its three ships: Hydra, Queen of Greece and Panhellenion. The early routes went to Greek ports, notably Piraeus (near Athens) and to the Peloponnesos. In 1858, two more ships were added to the original three and the routes were extended to Thessaloniki and Crete. By 1862, there were eleven ships making regular voyages to Smyrna (now Izmir), Constantinople (now Istanbul) and other ports along the Turkish coast. The company was successful from its start in 1857 until a decline occurred in the late 1880s.

The driving force behind the company was its founder, Ilias Kehayas who led the company until his death in December 1885.