Panagiotis Kosmatos

Panagiotis Kosmatos studied political and legal sciences at Panteion University and the Law School of Thessaloniki. He served in the Hellenic Army as a reserve Second Lieutenant in the Artillery. He is a graduate of the Hellenic Coast Guard Officers Academy and the National Defense School. He served in regional and central services of the Ministry of Merchant Shipping (YEN). He held positions as the Port Authority Chief of Porto Lagos, Ithaca, and Chania, Head of Registries and Mortgages at the Central Port Authority of Piraeus, and Staff Officer of the Naval Ports Warfare Utilization Service of the Hellenic Navy. He organized the first Marine Environment Protection Service of YEN and was the first aerial observer of the Coast Guard. As its director, he participated in the Greek delegation at the 1973 Stockholm International Conference on the Global Environment, the 1974 London International Conference for the conclusion of the International Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment, and the 1975 Barcelona International Conference for the protection of the Mediterranean from marine pollution. In this capacity, he was a permanent representative of YEN on the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London. He also served as the Maritime Attaché of the Greek Embassy in Tokyo and Consular Port Authority Chief of Japan, Commander of the Higher Public School of Merchant Marine in Aspropyrgos, Director of the Sailor's Home, Director of Organization and Training at YEN, Maritime Advisor at the Greek Embassy in London, and finally General Director of Ports and Coasts at YEN. He retired in 1982 with the rank of Vice Admiral of the Coast Guard. Immediately after his retirement, he undertook the initial organization and operation of the environmental organization Helmepa, and subsequently directed the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee in London until 2000, when he stepped down to return to Greece. He has occasionally published articles in the daily and maritime press of the country, including a monograph on Flags of Convenience. He is married to Maria Kosmatou, née Georgiou, and they have two children who are professionally involved in shipping.