Our shipping roots date back to 1895
More specifically, our history dates to 1895 on the Greek island of Hydra to a small shipyard started by Mastro Rafalias Melachrinos which was building wooden bulk carriers from 200-dwt to 500-dwt.
The business relied on importing wood from Turkey. Therefore, in 1908, the decision was taken to move the shipyard to the larger island of Samos island but, more importantly, a land rich in wood providing sufficient primary material for the ships. The pines of Samos were much more water resistant, being the ideal type of wood for shipbuilding. Over the next 30 years up until the last 1940s the company built over 100 bulk carriers ranging from 500-dwt to 1,500-dwt.
Many ships were destroyed during WWII, and the shipyards of Samos closed. Therefore, in 1948, it was decided to move the business to Piraeus and start acquiring steel-built ships. Shipping was becoming more international, and Piraeus was the first city in Greece to offer global telecommunications.
From the 1960s until the 1990s, the company focused on owning and managing handy-size bulk carriers.
In the 2000s, there was a trend for larger ships and economies of scale and the company decided to invest in a fleet of Panamax bulk carriers, a size which continues to be the focus on until today.
Currently, in the 21st century, the multi-generational knowledge and experience of commercial and technical management of Panamaxes continues alongside a strong shipping network that has been built for over 120 years and continues to connect us to our heritage and the modern shipping world. This resulted in the idea of Nomchart in 2021, to create a Panamax shipbroking powerhouse in Athens, home to the ownership of the largest number of Panamax ships globally.
