History
From Constantinople since 1851
Vernicos Group of Companies is one of the oldest existing maritime enterprises in Greece. It was founded in Constantinople in the mid 19th century under the name “BOSPHORUS” by Emmanuel N. Vernicos (1835 – 1915) from Sifnos. Its first activity was to transport people and petroleum barrels from one side of Bosphorus to the other with rowing and sailing boats.
The son of Emmanuel, Nicolas E. Vernicos (1869 – 1947) gave the company its present name. Under its new form it operated with steam tugs offering towage services to vessels transiting the Bosphorus and later added salvage tugs.
After the First World War, Nicolas E. Vernicos brought his wife and 8 children by tug boat to Sifnos and set up his headquarters in Piraeus.
Although the Vernicos fleet was sunk during the Second World War, the company grew again with the help of Nicola’s four sons Emmanuel (1901 – 1947), Dimitri (1907 – 1996), Constantine (1920 – 1984) and Alexander (1916 – 1991) and became the leader in towage and salvage during the postwar years – a position it still maintains in the 21st century in harbour towage.
This historic group of maritime companies is operated by the fourth and fifth generations of the Vernicos family.
Argonaftis was established in 1977 in Athens by the Lamda Group of companies. Initially the company owned Tankers deep sea salvage tugs. Port tugs and other floating equipment and the area of its activities were in Eleusis and Saudi Arabia.
By 1980, 3 newbuilding sister tugs on order were taken over:
IFESTOS Type, of 2700 BHP / 33 BP. Fire fighting tugs designed and built by Damen Shipyards Holland to serve the Eleusis refinery as well as being able to perform deep sea service.
These units are being presently upgraded to enhance their capabilities.
In 1981 two multicast the “Twenty Nine” and the “Thirty” were taken over from B. Scheepswerf Holland.
In 1989 and 1991 the two Voith Schneider tractor sister tugs ALEXANDER 3 and 5 of 4.800 BHP / 53 BP on order from Neue Jaderwerft Germany were taken over being purposely built to serve as fire fighting and ULCC handling tugs, with deep sea capabilities.
In April 2006 Vernicos Family members assumed control of the company. The Vernicos Group, with considerable experience in all types of work related to deep sea towage, salvage etc.
The need for assistance upgrading, in quality and power provided, is obvious by the increase of tonnage of the Tankers, Container ships, Ro Ro’s, Passenger ships. Thus beginning 2007 two more sister tugs of 3.200 BHP / 45 TBP were added to our fleet, built 1989 the ARMADORES Type and subsequently in 2009 the VERNICOS MASTER 3.600 BHP / 45 TBP built 2006.
In March 2012 the SVITZER MERMAID was acquired in Dubai 4.000 BHP / 52 TBP and from 24/04/2012 joined our fleet.