History

The roots and the background behind the establishment of Tsavliris Salvage Group goes back to the mid 1920’s when the Founder, Alexander G. Tsavliris, arrived in Piraeus from Asia Minor and started to build his own business. Young Alexander bought (together with his brothers and uncle) a small, wooden, coal-burning tug of about 10hp, named “ALECOS” and nicknamed “Bourboulas”. Later he moved to London, where he studied and worked, establishing his first company in 1939.

History
Cargo ships fleet

At the end of Second World War he purchased his first ship, a 1,200-dwt tons collier, whilst his first ocean-going ship soon followed as he set about creating a fleet of dry cargo ships. Alexander returned to Piraeus in 1956 to become one of the expanding shipping community’s leading owners. During the following years, Tsavliris purchased a number of war surplus Liberty ships and other secondhand freighters. In the following years, Alexander G. Tsavliris decisively strengthened his dry cargo fleet so that by 1965 he had a substantial fleet of 17 ships.

Expanding in marine salvage

However, what was destined to mark his shipping course and also proved to be the main future activity of the Group in the maritime arena, was his decision to become engaged in the sector of tugs and salvage operations. 
In 1964 he established Tsavliris (Salvage & Towage) Ltd. which acquired 17 tugs and salvage vessels totaling 25,000 hp, within the next 18 months. The new enterprise soon became the largest operator of its kind within the Mediterranean Sea and beyond. It offered reliable services, covering Greece’s entire waters. By the end of 1969, following the addition of further acquisitions, the Alexander G. Tsavliris’ fleet of tugs totaled 29 units and was internationally appraised as one of the major players in this demanding shipping sector, maintaining salvage stations in crucial parts of the world.

Supporting the Greek economy

As well as being a significant employer, with over 1,000 (mostly Greek) seamen, Tsavliris had long contributed to supporting the Greek economy and had patronised the development of the country’s ship repair sector by repairing and maintaining his fleet locally. He also maintained a Greek-flag (as well Cyprus and British flags) policy for most of his ships. At the beginning of the 1970s, he went further by ordering two dry cargo ships from Hellenic Shipyards Skaramanga (owned by Stavros Niarchos). The vessels remained in the Group’s fleet for more than 15 years.

Leaving a great legacy

Having created a major international shipping enterprise, Tsavliris sadly passed away in 1973 at the height of his career, at the relatively young age of 59, leaving a great legacy behind. During his 35-year journey in the shipping industry, he had managed to establish a solid group, which among its activities established the largest salvage & towage enterprise ever in the history of Greek shipping.

The new era

In mid-1973, his three sons Nicolas, George and Andreas, took over the business and followed in his footsteps. They continued to invest in the family’s ocean-going fleet until the mid-1990s when they decided to focus entirely on the salvage sector amid intense fluctuations within the international maritime markets.

The focus on salvage

The Tsavliris brothers decided to expand further their salvage & towage business, operating from offices on the Piraeus waterfront. By fully utilising the wealth of experience gained over decades, and assisted by first-class well-trained crews, they moved ahead dynamically. Their activities and accomplishments have demonstrated professionalism and reliability through their active participation in Greek and international organisations and fora. With an impressive record and immence experience gained in dealing with thousands of marine casualties of all categories worldwide, the Tsavliris Group stands ready to assist the global shipping industry with top-quality professional services.