1999: Harry²¹ joins “Vafias Group”; he led it into the sectors of tankers & gas carriers; he founded “Stealth Maritime”, buying 1 19-year Aframax tanker

2001: Added: M/V “Gas Spirit” 3400 dwt LPG tanker

1999-2003: Harry renews the fleet with emphasis on “Aframax” tankers

2003: Company owns 6 VLCCs

2002: Harry founds “Brave Bulk Transport”, an Australian based trading company, one of the bigger suppliers of grain to M. East, chartering 22 - 25 Handymax & Panamax bulk carriers p.a. from other owners, carrying 2 m tons of grain approximately from Australia or Canada to M East

2003: Harry established (with his father) “Estates Corporation Inc.’’ investing in commercial & residential property—on the principle: better is not to put “all eggs in one basket”

2004: A company established (end 2004) to deal with LPG²² carriers.

2005: Group’s Revenue: ~$37 m & profits $14.5 m;

2005 Oct.: Listed in NY Stock Exchange collecting $116m with a share price of $14.5; unfavorable conditions; company retained original price

2006: Revenue: ~$73 m & profits $18.5 m; it held 10% of handy-sized LPG market (serving: “Shell”; “Petredec”-owned 30% of S. Arabia Kingdom needs); trying to offer safety & quality with no credit risk; Company’s return: 15%.

2007 March: Company’s Fleet reached 32 LPG carriers (3000 - 8000 cbm); 11% of global fleet; company alleged to negotiate with powerful charterers & traders; Countries served with gas were mainly: China, India & Korea

2007 plans: invest in gas carriers (of good prospects); reach 35 units, before “Unigas Kosan” (the antagonist), owning 22 handy LPGs; company to specialize in “handy sizes”, but increasing its presence in “upper sizes”; reduce fleet’s average age; Company to be the fastest developing firm in NASDAQ

2007 policy: run a modern high technical fleet for high quality charterers; try long term chartering for the majority of the fleet; 74% of fleet’s operating days to be (as they were) time chartered; reduce management expenses (despite expensive skilled personnel in gas transport); ships to be ice classed due to activities in Russia and N. E. Japan, & for an ExxonMobil project; company had 3 such ships

2008: M/V “Gas Defiance” 7200 cbm added; 2009: As a result of the end-2008 crisis “StealthGas” from a capitalization of ~$304 m (beg. 2008) fell to ~$136 m (end 2008) (−55%); the fall in capitalization invites other companies to buy them out; finding out new funds is also difficult in a crisis

2010 (March 24^th): “Vafias Group” owned 53 vessels (6^th position among 100 top Greek shipping companies/in number of ships) consisting of 37 LPGs, 15 wet and 1 dry, of a total of 1,399,985 dwt (39^th position in dwt); 2 ships under Greek flag;

2011: M/V “Gas Myth” 5000 cbm added;

2015: net income: $2.6 m less an impairment amount of $8.2 m.

2015: M/V “Eco Galaxy” 7200 cbm added;

2016 (June) StealthGas Inc. had 50 vessels in water, and 5 new-buildings to be delivered in 2017; 1 vessel was 7,200 cbm (2016) & 4 at 22,000 cbm each (2017) (semi-refrigerated); these new 4 buildings changed company’s mission of ships of < 8000 cbm)