He once dreamed of becoming a doctor — but the sea called, and he answered. Drawn to ships and the open horizon, he became a captain and never looked back. For more than 53 years, Captain Dimos Benas served the sea and Greek Merchant Shipping with unwavering passion, responsibility, and deep respect.
Even after his voyages, he remained close to the maritime world, continuing his service from shore as a chief captain in shipping offices.
Over the course of more than three years, he penned the story of his life at sea in a memoir titled “Sea Logbook”.
He graduated from the historic Hydra Merchant Marine Academy in 1951, and took his first voyage as a junior officer aboard the freighter M/V ARION, built in 1918.
Captain Benas set sail on his final journey on Sunday, 15 June 2025. He cast off once more — this time for the great beyond.
This tribute includes poignant excerpts from our in-depth conversation with him, recorded on 18 June 2022 for the program “Fair Winds and Following Seas”.
Captain Dimosthenis Benas, thank you for your life’s service to the sea and to Greek shipping.
Fair winds and following seas on your final voyage.