Athens: With parties at this year’s Posidonia already in full swing, Maritime CEO catches up with part of the Lyras shipping empire. Dimitris Lyras founded Ulysses Systems, a shipmanagement software firm, and he is also connected to Lyras Shipping. The Lyras family can boast more than 150 years of experience in shipping.
Dimitris Lyras is an engineer by training. He founded Ulysses in 1996. Its best known software is Task Assistant, which gives owners and managers timely access to relevant information. He is also the co-author of a book: The Future of Decision Making: How Revolutionary Software Can Improve the Ability to Decide.
Lyras has been involved in many initiatives aimed at assisting the shipping industry in effectively addressing legislation or becoming self regulating. He is a member of the Intertanko Council.
Lyras Shipping played the markets very cannily, essentially exiting owning near the top of the market when it sold its ships in 2006. Now it is back in the game, having ordered three long range 115,000 dwt product tankers for delivery in 2016. LR product tankers have come in vogue of late, with rates rising amid tight tonnage. However, more newbuilds are unlikely, Lyras says, acknowledging the vast amount of new tonnage in the sector to come in three years time.
“Our ships were ordered at a good time as there are now many product tankers set to deliver in 2017,” Lyras says.
Maritime CEO is at Posidonia with a very strong Greek themed issue. The magazine, which will be distributed throughout next week’s events, includes interviews with Greek owners, plus a useful guide to the show, while the lifestyle section of the title looks at Greek travel and also the local wine scene. You can read it here. [30/05/14]
