Andreas Martinos is a scion of one of Greece's most prominent and powerful shipping families, the Martinos dynasty, whose collective fleet makes them a colossal force in global maritime trade. His upbringing in Athens was steeped in the traditions of Greek shipping, a sector that is the bedrock of the national economy and culture.

Andreas, along with his mother and two brothers, Constantinos and Athanasios, received a hands-on, practical education in the complexities of managing international fleets. Their collective journey began in 1972 when the family co-founded their first major venture, Thenamaris, which was a key player in the transport of oil and dry cargo. However, the Greek shipping tradition often favors independent enterprise, and the brothers eventually opted to follow their own paths, a crucial step that led Andreas to found his own, highly focused shipping company.

The pivotal moment in Andreas Martinos’s career was the amicable but definitive split from the family’s original company, Thenamaris. In 1998, he leveraged his decades of experience and his share of the family's assets to found his own shipping company, Minerva Marine. This move was a strategic decision to establish an independent operation focused on specialized segments of the global fleet.

Under Martinos’s leadership, Minerva Marine was built to be a formidable, modern fleet specializing in tankers (for oil and chemical transport), dry cargo, and container vessels. His business acumen is characterized by astute, well-timed newbuild orders and strategic vessel purchases, particularly during market dips, such as his aggressive dry bulk drive in 2018. Today, Minerva Marine boasts a large, modern fleet of over 70 vessels and is primarily managed by his son, also named Andreas, ensuring the continuity of the Martinos name in global shipping. The collective Martinos family control of the shipping industry remains unparalleled, making Andreas Martinos a figure of immense influence in the largest shipowning nation in the world.

In line with the tradition of Greek shipping tycoons, Andreas Martinos's philanthropy is often channeled through discreet family trusts and targeted donations, primarily supporting Greek cultural, religious, and social causes. The Martinos family is known for its long-standing, quiet patronage of the Greek Orthodox Church and community welfare projects.

The most profound social impact of his enterprise is its contribution to the global economy and Greek national finances. The stability and growth of Minerva Marine, along with the fleets run by his brothers, generate immense revenue and foreign exchange for Greece, maintaining the nation’s historical role as the global leader in shipping. This industrial contribution ensures national economic stability, providing a structural, large-scale social benefit to Greece.

Andreas Martinos embodies the classic style of a Greek shipping billionaire—one of quiet, enduring wealth and maritime authority. His attire is typically reserved, favoring expertly tailored European business suits for corporate events and fine, relaxed resort wear for life in Athens or on the high seas. His style is conservative, signaling stability and command rather than ostentation.

His lifestyle is centered on the exclusive Athenian suburbs and the vast, fluid environment of global shipping. The true luxury of his life is his ownership of a modern, multi-billion dollar fleet and the subsequent operational control over international commerce. While he possesses private assets, the ultimate status symbol in the Greek shipping world is the size, modernity, and safety record of one's fleet. His life is one of deep, high-stakes commitment to the ancient and profitable tradition of Greek seafaring.