We reproduce a statement by shipowner Panos Laskaridis published in Naftika Chronika, a Greek shipping magazine, regarding the “Black Trail” documentary and the reactions provoked by Mr Laskaridis’s quotes on the relationship between Greek shipping, Greece and the prime minister. The magazine describes Mr Laskaridis as “honorary rear admiral and President of the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation” and calls the documentary “fabricated”.

Black Trail is a documentary investigating the shipping industry’s impact on climate change. It was made by the EIC network (European Investigations Collaborations) and produced by Expresso, The Black Sea, SIC TV and Reporters United.

In his statement Mr Laskaridis claims his quotes were taken “from unrelated conversations”. He calls EIC, the network of journalists that made the documentary, “a network of unspeakable Portuguese journalists”. Laskaridis argues that the motive behind those publications on social media “was to blacken my image, as well as to muddy the waters within the industry and among industry players.”

Finally, he warns that “those who thoughtlessly and libellously used these edited statements will of course suffer the consequences of their actions.”

Here is the full statement:

“Over the last two days certain statements of mine taken from unrelated conversations, which did not relate in any way to the present state of our shipping industry, and of course neither to the Prime Minister nor the Minister of Shipping, were published on social media – statements which were made to an unspeakable network of Portuguese journalists, who used them maliciously out of context and out of sequence.

These statements were leaked by circles on the fringes of the shipping industry whose only purpose is to blacken my image, as well as to muddy the waters within the industry and among industry players.

Regarding my own views on the shipping industry and its institutions, I can point to the hundreds of published statements and speeches I have delivered on Greek shipping, to my innumerable interviews with the Greek and international press over the decades during which I have had the honour of representing the interests of our shipping industry.

Those who thoughtlessly and libellously used these edited statements will of course suffer the consequences of their actions.

Finally, regarding the esteem and respect in which I hold the Prime Minister and the Minister of Shipping and the institutions which they represent, they are all perfectly aware of the views I hold of them, the shipping industry, and our Homeland.”