* Tycoon's open ambitions in Piraeus unusual for Greece
* Business-politics links normally kept behind the scenes
* Marinakis promises to revive port, create jobs
* Some critics compare Marinakis with Berlusconi
* Ship owners oppose Piraeus privatisation plan
By Harry Papachristou
PIRAEUS, Greece, May 23 (Reuters) - Best known as owner ofGreece's most successful soccer club, shipping tycoon EvangelosMarinakis has now burst on to the political scene - and hasalready scored an early victory.
The Olympiakos FC president's unusual foray into politicshas taken the port town of Piraeus by storm. A candidate from anindependent list co-founded by Marinakis has won the first roundof mayoral elections, even though it was set up just four weeksago, and the tycoon himself is running to become a councillor.
Rarely has big business mingled so openly with politics in acountry where contacts between the two are usually conductedbehind the scenes.
Shipowners have usually kept a very low profile as theyenjoy a preferential tax regime that has created thousands ofshipping jobs in Piraeus, but made them unpopular with averageGreeks whose tax bills soared in the economic crisis.
Marinakis's success, in many ways, reflects disillusionmentamong Greeks toward a discredited class of party politiciansthey blame for pushing the country close to bankruptcy.
Marinakis, 46, is running on the "Piraeus, Winner" ticket,promising to revive his home town and create badly needed jobs with the same business acumen that helped Olympiakos to win 12out of the past 14 Greek soccer championships.
"I was born and raised in Piraeus," he told To Vimanewspaper. "I care about Piraeus. We are fighting for the portof our hearts."
His promises go down well in Piraeus, which suffered badlyduring the six-year debt crisis even though it is home tohundreds of shipping firms doing business across the world andis one of the world's biggest passenger ports, where touristsboard ferries to the Greek islands.
It is also a time of uncertainty for the port which is dueto be privatised under the government's programme to turn aroundthe economy, despite opposition from Marinakis and fellowshipowners.
Marinakis's critics say he represents a new trend ofmagnates using their wealth to win political office with theintention of defending their business interests. Some comparehim with former Italian prime minister and media boss SilvioBerlusconi, who has faced similar accusations.
"This is a new kind of fruit in our politics and it's a verydangerous one," said Panos Skourletis, spokesman for Greece'smain opposition party, the radical leftist Syriza.
For now, Marinakis is prevailing. His candidate for mayor -former club spokesman Yannis Moralis - won the first round lastweekend with 33 percent of the vote and looks likely to beat thegovernment-backed incumbent in Sunday's run-off.
"It's a good thing he is running, it's about time we triedsomebody who comes from outside politics," said AlexandrosNanopoulos, who sells magazines for 3 euros apiece on the streeta few metres (yards) from rows of luxurious yachts at the port.
"JOB FOR EACH CITIZEN"
Marinakis is chairman of Capital Product Partners,a firm listed on New York's Nasdaq stock market which runs afleet of tankers and container ships.
He says he has no time to be mayor and laws on owningoffshore companies would prevent him from doing so anyway.
But he is the public face of the ticket, campaigningalongside Moralis in the port and making television appearances.However, he is quick to deny any national ambitions. "I can'tbecome and I won't become a Greek Berlusconi", he told To Vima.
Despite the mega-yachts moored at its marinas, Piraeus has suffered economically as much as elsewhere in Greece, whereunemployment hit a record 27.7 percent last year.
Tapping into the local frustration, Marinakis has promisedto turn Piraeus into a shipping hub that creates "a job for eachcitizen". To back up his pledge, he points to the success of hisfootball team and business savvy.
His sporting credentials are a big advantage in a countrywhere soccer is hugely popular, despite being riddled withcorruption and fan violence. A giant poster of Moralis hangsfrom Olympiakos's stadium, which also features prominently onthe mayoral campaign's television spot.
Another independent list led by a former soccer clubpresident in the central city of Volos also topped the firstround there, with voters ignoring their would-be mayor'slifetime ban from team sports for match-rigging.
"OUT OF THE SHADOWS"
Marinakis's decision to run in Piraeus was announced a fewdays before the privatisation agency received initial bids for amajority stake in the city's port authority OLP.
He and other local shipowners strongly oppose the sale,which has drawn the interest of China's Cosco and five othersuitors. Piraeus's mayor has a seat on OLP's board.
"Powerful interests have come out of the shadows to wrestcontrol of our city and its port," said Theodoros Dritsas,Syriza's candidate for mayor, who failed to make the runoff.
Greece plans to sell a majority of OLP to a singleinternational investor, but shipowners say they want the port tostay in public hands or be split into several small concessions.
"Selling the port is a tragic mistake," Marinakis told theAlpha television channel.
His fans don't buy the critics' arguments. "He's already asuccessful businessman," said Nanopoulos, the street vendor. "Hedoesn't need the mayor's chair to defend his interests."($1 = 0.7297 Euros) (Editing by Deepa Babington and David Stamp)