John Paul Papanicolaou (23 March 1949 – 14 February 2010) was a Greek shipbuilder and businessman leading in the industry during his era. He was passionate in purchasing and overhauling historically monumental vessels. As a friend of the Onassis family, he is best known for his purchase and grand restoration of the Onassis yacht, Christina O in 1998, adding the ”O” (Ω) to the ship's name.[1] [2] He also purchased and renewed the former Yugoslavian presidential yacht Galeb, which was the third largest yacht in the world and voyaged by Josip Broz Tito himself at one time.
John-Paul Papanicolaou passed away in Athens, Greece on February 14, 2010 (the day of Love) after two years of fighting a terminal illness, his spirit stayed strong to his last breath. Big John will be remembered as a Giant of Heart and Stature by those who had the luck to cross his path!