Synopsis

Migration is not only an opportunity for the migrating individuals to improve aspects of their lives, but it is also an opportunity for those managing, or mediating in the management of the migrant flows to profit from the facilitation of the migration process.
One essential link in the migration chain is the transport companies, the absence of which results in immobility. The transport companies did not approach the migrant traffic under humanitarian terms, but business and commercial ones. In this seminar, the participation of the Greek transport companies in the post-WWII migration to Australia will be examined. What was the state of play before the employment of SS Patris of the Greek-Australian Line? Why did the shipowners Chandris establish the Greek-Australian Line in 1959? What was the role of the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM / ΔΕΜΕ in Greek) and of the Greek governments?
What was the interest of other Greek and foreign transport companies for the sea route between Greece and Australia, and how did Chandris prevail and combat competition? These are some of the questions that will be answered in the seminar, in an effort to shed light on the migration mechanism that made possible the migration to Australia of about 200,000 persons from Greece between 1950 and 1973.

Bio

Ioannis Limnios Sekeris obtained his Ph.D. in 2023 from the Department of Political Science and History of Panteion University, Greece. His doctoral research explored the relationship between the international organisations specialising in migration, and the private sector, specifically the shipping and airline companies, between 1951 and 1980. In 2013 he completed his MA thesis at the University of Crete, Greece on the topic of the post-WWII emigration from Greece to Australia. Ioannis’ research interests focus on post-WWII migration from Europe, the history of international organisations, maritime history, aviation history, and transport history. His publications concentrate on the post-WWII period including articles on the ‘migration industry’ and policies, the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM), Greek emigration, Australia’s immigration policy, the management of the migration journey to Oceania and Latin America, and the involvement of shipping and airline companies of the private and public sector.

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