THE MEMORY OF A GREAT YACHTING PROFESSIONAL , LOVER OF THE SEA AND OF THE BOATS THAT SAILS IT
Founder of Balmarine LTD, an expert marine engineer & surveyor known all over the world, he participated in the design and construction of some of the most important and well-known yachts.
For the design and construction of yachts, the figures of designers and builders are often the most highlighted, but we rarely speak of those who are responsible for the management and delivery; Dimitrios was one of the best in this area. Its fundamental role in mediating the requests and needs of the shipowner by bringing them back and translating into reality in the various shipyards. Dimitrios Bales was born in 1951 in Athens. He was a graduate of the Merchant Marine Academy of Aspropirgos and of the department of Shipbuilding of Sutherland University in England.
He worked initially for some time in the department of technical management of a shipping company with offices in Athens and London, in 1985 he founded the company BALMARINE LTD, that is activated successfully in the sector of marine surveys, on behalf of yacht Underwriters in Italy , U.K and mainly at Lloyd’s.
In 1989 , the company was entrusted the design, supervision and technical management in the building of the 53 meters, with the name PANORAMA, steel construction, three masted mega yacht with capacity of 50 passengers
plus crew, which was put to sea service in 1993, and, up to now, she had performed successfully, free of any technical operation problems thus enabling Owners to enjoy a profitable operation of the vessel. It is to be mentioned here that the whole standing and rigging plant of the vessel was also designed by the company and built in Greece.
At the time , was the biggest sailing vessel built in the Mediterranean.
In 1994, was entrusted the completion of the design and building of a 48 meters,with the name FAITH, all aluminum construction, luxury motor yacht, the hull of which was already partly constructed by the Italian shipyard Baglietto, whilst the rest of the building was designed and built in Greece, for Hong Kong Owners, at a record time of 14 months. She
is a 17 knots yacht, with 9 double cabins plus crew and after only 4 hours sea trials she motored to Hong Kong, a delivery voyage of more than 7,000 miles, without any problem.
Cosmos 135 project and studies were completed in 2003, The yachts was developed with exceptional features, on
steel and aluminum construction, in order to meet extreme sea service conditions, such as ice strengthening, very high sea keeping criteria, long range to about 8,000 miles, max speed of 14 knots, observation tower, hely pad, two 7
meters special design tenders.
Involved in drafting or approving specification of building mega yachts, in well known European shipyards, as well as project management of such new buildings on behalf of the Owner. Such as 2 Baglietto 36, Baglietto 25 ,Maiora 37, 3 Maiora 31Mt , Maiora 29Mt , Morgan 25Mt, Azimut 85Ft, Falcon 90Ft , Benetti 50Mt , Benetti 58Mt , Amels 58Mt an others like :
- Benetti 50 meters (2001)
- Amels 55 meters (2006)
- Benetti 58 meters (2006)
- Benetti 63 meters (2015)
- Rodriquez 38 meters (2007)
- Tecnomar 42 meters (2009)
- Benetti 37 meters Classic (2009)
- Custom-built (Greece) luxury cruiser 65 meters (2010)
- Custom-built mega yacht 62 meters (currently under construction in
Greece)
Other projects that were currently under discussion were the shipbuilding of 134 meters mega yacht and that of a 90 meters multipurpose vessel.
The basic characteristic of the shipbuilding of Dimitris Bales is that he builds ships that constitute original models.
A great professional, a sea lover who has contributed to the creation of some of the most beautiful yachts in the world that we remember with great esteem and affection.
