Markos Marinakis, chairman of Trireme in New York City Inc. states to ANA – MPA, that even more people support the group’s efforts, while articles and mentions in U.S. media are promoting the story of the trireme. Mr. Marinakis also underlined that the article on “Wall Street Journal” and relevant reports from T.V. and radio stations in the U.S. “gave the event an unexpected dimension”.
In the 1980s, a Cambridge classicist and the chief naval architect for Britain’s Ministry of Defense pooled their knowledge to build a full-scale model of a possible structure for the trireme. Construction was funded by the Greek government. The ship was around 120 feet long, weighed 55,000 pounds and relied on an additional 33,000 pounds of crew for ballast. Powered by 170 rowers, the Olympias did five sea trials in Greece between 1987 and 1994, with a stop in London. The ship is currently on display in a naval museum in Athens.
“Trireme Trust USA”, established for “Trireme in New York”, chaired by Mr. Marinakis, mainly aims, as Mr. Marinakis states, towards the “promotion of Hellenic cultural heritage and further strengthening of Greek – American relations”.
The project would cost just under three million dollars and up to now around 600.000 dollars have been raised. According to the organizers , the trireme initially needs around 275 dollars in repairs, while it will have to be carried to the U.S. aboard a freighter, involving the recruitment of rowers.
info by: sae.gr
