Marinakis contacted Trump directly: the plan for Hormuz and a new stage of the conflict with Mitsotakis

Vangelis Marinakis sent the Donald Trump administration its own plan to Strait of Hormuzdemonstrating that it intends to influence not only shipping, but also big politics.

Chairman Capital Maritime & Trading Corporation presented his initiative at the magazine’s 30th annual Government Roundtable Economist in Lagonisi.

According to Marinakis, the proposal was first made at the exhibition “Posidonia”after which it was officially transferred to the US administration.

“I have forwarded this proposal to the Trump administration. It’s official, and I think it’s the right way,” Marinakis said.

Duty instead of war insurance

Marinakis suggests introducing fixed fee for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz subject to ensuring guaranteed freedom and safety of international navigation.

His argument is based on the fact that shipowners are already actually paying for passage, but it is not the states of the region who receive the money, but insurance companiescharging higher tariffs due to military risks.

According to data provided by Marinakis, additional insurance against war risks can cost the owner of one vessel up to $1–3 million depending on the cost of the ship and the cargo being transported.

At the Posidonia exhibition, he named a significantly lower possible duty – approximately 100–200 thousand dollars from one vessel. According to his calculations, carriers would pay less, and in return they would receive guaranteed safe passage.

Marinakis also suggested distribute proceeds from the transit fee between countries of the Arab worldwho have suffered from war, destruction and the economic consequences of the conflict.

According to him, ensuring free navigation would prevent further pressure on energy prices, transport costs and global inflation.

Economic logic and legal problem

The proposal looks logical from the point of view of a large ship owner. The Strait of Hormuz passes approximately one fifth of world oil and gas flowsso any major disruption has an immediate impact on the cost of energy, transportation, food and industrial production.

According to Marinakis, guaranteed freedom of navigation would allow the conflicting parties to continue negotiations without constant threat world trade paralysis.

However, the idea faces a serious legal obstacle. International Maritime Organization states that states have no legal basis to impose duties or discriminatory conditions for transit through international straits.

Implementation of the plan would require not a unilateral decision from Iran, the United States or Oman, but special international agreement. The payment would have to be issued not as a permit for passage, but, for example, as payment for security services, escort or insurance guarantees.

Otherwise it will turn out quite peculiar “freedom of navigation”: admission is formally free, but you must first pay the bill. International politics has long been able to combine incompatible things if enough oil is at stake.

Why is it not just shipping anymore?

The main political detail is that Marinakis is not just a Greek shipowner commenting on the market situation. He claims that independently appealed to the US Presidential Administration with a proposal for the future of one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

The official Greek government previously stated that the country would not participate in the military operation in the Strait of Hormuz and would limit its presence to the mission “Aspides” in the Red Sea.

Marinakis proposes a different approach: not to send Greek warships, but to create international economic mechanismwhich would ensure safe passage and reduce the cost of insurance.

This does not necessarily mean direct opposition to the foreign policy of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. However, the initiative shows that Marinakis has the own channels of communication with Washington and considers it possible to participate in shaping the international agenda without the mediation of the Greek government.

From ally to open enemy

Relationships between Vangelis Marinakis And Kyriakos Mitsotakis have gone from close cooperation to almost open political and media conflict.

The first serious signs of a break appeared in 2022 amid the scandal with tapping phones and program Predator. Publications of the Alter Ego Media group, including MEGA, To Vima and Ta Nea, began to criticize the government and the prime minister’s inner circle much more harshly.

In March 2024, To Vima published an investigation into the possible montage of recordings of negotiations after the Tempi disaster. A few days later, two ministers close to the prime minister resigned after their meeting with Marinakis became known.

The government explained the resignations by saying that the meeting sent the public “wrong signal”. However, the episode itself showed how sensitive any contacts between government officials and the media mogul have become.

In April 2025, Marinakis had already publicly accused the government of trying to silence him and declared that he was not afraid, did not give in to blackmail and did not intend to retreat.

In May 2026, the conflict received almost physical embodiment: during a basketball match, Marinakis entered into a sharp public altercation with Grigoris Dimitriadis – Mitsotakis’s nephew and former closest adviser, who left his post after the wiretapping scandal.

Marinakis as a separate center of power

Today Marinakis controls large international shipping businessone of the most influential media holdings in Greece, Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest football clubs, and also has significant connections in USA and UK.

The Trump administration’s proposal shows that it no longer wants to remain just the owner of courts, football teams and television networks. He publicly forms international political and economic initiatives and positions himself as a person capable of speaking directly with the world’s largest centers of power.

This does not yet mean that Marinakis is preparing his own party or is going to personally participate in the elections. To influence Greek politics, he does not have to become a deputy.

Media, financial resources, international connections and the ability to shape the public agenda often turn out to be much more useful than a parliamentary seat.

Against the backdrop of the weakening of traditional parties and talk of early elections, Marinakis is increasingly looking not only as an entrepreneur, but also as a independent political factorwhich the government has to reckon with.

Editorial comment

The Strait of Hormuz proposal has practical economic basisalthough it faces international law and the question of who exactly will collect and distribute the funds received.

But its political side is much more important. Marinakis shows he’s capable contact the Trump administration directly and offer solutions on a global scale.

Against the backdrop of the conflict with Mitsotakis, this looks like a declaration of independence: another one is being formed in Greece center of political influencewhich has money, courts, media and its own international channels.

While Marinakis is talking about Hormuz. But in Greek politics it is not only the content of the proposal that is important, but also who got the opportunity to talk to Washington on their own behalf.

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