“Give life to the dying shipbuilding yards” – Out of the 300+ in Greece, only 70 remain

Of the approximately 300 shipbuilding yards that once operated throughout Greece, fewer than 70 remain today. The art of wooden shipbuilding, which for thousands of years was associated with the identity, trade, and freedom of the Nation, is now in danger of extinction. At this critical juncture, the Panhellenic Association of Shipyards and Saronic Magazine join their voices in a strong call: “Give life to the dying shipbuilding yards”.

The magazine’s extensive tribute focuses on the shipyard of Giannis Prasinos in Salamis, one of the few that still operate in the traditional way. There, the President of the Association and NTUA naval architect Vassilis Vassiliadis welcomes teachers from primary schools in Piraeus, as part of an activity to familiarize them with the Greek naval architecture tradition. The aim of the initiative is to inspire teachers to convey to children, through their own teaching, the importance of man’s relationship with the sea, not only as a natural element, but also as a cultural and historical legacy.

This activity is a continuation of a major effort that began in 2015, when two emblematic craftsmen, Mr. Lekkas from Argolida and Mr. Dendrinos from Thassos, made a public appeal not to lose the art that they themselves learned from their grandparents. Thus, the Association was born in 2019, with the aim of supporting, organizing, and protecting the remaining carnagia.

Carnagia are not just workshops or traditional professions. They are living cells of culture. Every carnagia that closes, every ship that burns instead of being preserved, is a loss for the collective memory, for know-how, and for tourism based on authenticity. The hope, as emphasized in the publication, lies in the new generation. If education, local government, and society support such initiatives, carnagia can once again become living places of learning, creation, and culture.