Souda Spotlight: George Drikakis, Port Operations Manager

Story and photo by Joel Diller, Public Affairs

George Drikakis, port operations manager, has served for 27 years as Team Souda’s liaison to the Hellenic Navy, coordinating U.S. Navy ship requirements for their port visits to Souda Bay. He said every day brings a new challenge – for example, the same ship could visit twice in the same week and have a different set of requirements each time. By managing their diverse and always changing needs, Drikakis is a key member helping Team Souda fulfill our mission of supporting the Fleet.

Where are you from originally?

I was born and raised in Africa (in Rhodesia, which became Zimbabwe.) My education was in Africa. After my father passed, my mother put us on the plane and brought us back to Greece and I spent 10 years in Athens. I had a business, but Athens got tiring. I left it and came down to Crete because my parents are originally from Crete. And I met my wife, who I knew from before, from Africa. She was also born and raised in Africa.

How did you get started at Port Operations?

(My wife’s parents) had a hotel, which was a contract hotel for the U.S. Navy, so I started working there. I worked there for about 10 years and then a job opened up here. The Navy said they were getting ready to open up a business called Port Operations. The position came up, I applied and I got the job. It was me and Lt. Cmdr. Long, who was at the time the original Port Ops officer.

What’s a typical day like for you?

In the morning, the Lieutenant or Chief goes through message traffic and gives me an update on what is going on. I check my (email) and combining those facts together I meet with the fleet logistics coordinators of the Hellenic Navy. I sit down with the Hellenic Navy captain that is down there and we start hashing out the prioritization, because he controls the NATO ships that come in, including the Hellenic Navy ships that come in. I’m there as the liaison of the U.S. Navy to the Greek Navy to coordinate of the requirements of the U.S. Navy.

What is your biggest career highlight?

During the Operation Iraqi Freedom, Turkey denied the U.S. access through their country for the northern attack, so the U.S. government ran the northern attack through NSA Souda Bay. Just to compare numbers: calendar year 2002 we had 125 ships for the whole calendar; March of 2003 I did 128 ships in one month. It was me, a chief, and a lieutenant. I would sleep in here in the office; Public Works had a cot in here for me and I’d take showers in the gym. My wife would bring me my clothes to the gate. If you drove down towards the piers, you’d see (the ships) all lined up waiting to come in. We had 17 ships in one day. The numbers were incredible. That was a highlight.

What is your life like outside of the office?

I have three children. My daughter is in Canada, but my boys are here. My one boy is a professional soccer player, my youngest one. My oldest son is at university, the Polytechnic here in Crete. Outside (of work) it’s not that exciting. I try to unwind from the day because the phones don’t stop, you know. It’s constant calling, constant changes.