On Monday 6 February 2017 the Alternate Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas attended the receipt and naming ceremony of the auxiliary base ship of the Hellenic Navy “ΑΜΜOΝΙΑS”, at the facilities of the New Hellenic Shipyards S.A. (Spanopoulos Group) at Perama. The Chief of the HNDGS Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis and the Chief of the HNGS Vice Admiral Nikolaos Tsounis also attended the ceremony.

The Alternate Minister of National Defence while addressing the attendants stressed the following:

“This day makes us feel particular pleasure and satisfaction because the Hellenic Navy receives an auxiliary ship, whose capabilities are readily available for the whole personnel, especially for the crews of the fighting ships and the Naval services of the Salamis Naval Yard.

We did not come here today to praise ourselves, but to demonstrate in the best possible way, how the collaborations of people with planning, organisational skills and methodical practices, can lead to results. Results diachronically achieved by the Hellenic Navy.

I would like to note, once more, that the human factor constitutes the first priority in the efforts of the Ministry for the continuous improvement of the working conditions in the Armed Forces.

The Hellenic Navy moving methodically and with planning, managed to completely absorb the funding of the Public Investments Programme, thus receiving today, within the time schedule, the first of four ships, the Auxiliary Base ship ΑΜΜOΝΙΑS.

This auxiliary ship received today by the Hellenic Navy constitutes a characteristic example of our country’s capabilities for development, through the Armed Forces cooperation, in this instance the Hellenic Navy, of the Shipbuilding Industry and the wider private sector.

This kind of synergies will boost development and will lead our country and the Greek society out of depression while functioning as multipliers in many levels. We have the human workforce, the infrastructure, the technical know-how and above all the political volition to enhance these initiatives. Based on that we are optimistic that we will succeed.

I would like to repeat the words I said a month ago during the inauguration of the Damage Control Simulator at Skaramagkas:

During hard times it is the capable people who stand out.

Or better yet … when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

So I would like to wish good luck and good trips to the new ship and I hope that it will immediately help in the improvement of working conditions. Furthermore I would like to assure you that the State and the government will always be the supporters of such actions, so that all of us can feel proud and confident about the future of our Country”.