Committee Formed To Study Coastal Shipping Deregulation

Greek Merchant Marine Minister Christos Papoutsis last month set up an independent committee of respected personalities and experts to draft framework legislation for the deregulation of the country’s coastal shipping sector.

Mr. Papoutsis said the committee would hear the views of all interested parties and afterwards hold a dialogue with shipowners and sailors before it would proceed with the new legislation draft paper. A deadline of two months has been set for the creation of the institutional framework.

Separately, he said the coastal shipowners’ demand for a 10 percent increase in sea fares was not well timed, but noted the demand made sense due to an increase in international fuel prices. He said a possible increase could be discussed at a future time. Recent cutbacks in the number of ferry services and the issue of the price increase will be viewed, he said, with the government’s economic policy in mind. Meanwhile, Mr. Papoutsis reacted strongly towards a warning from Minoan Flying Dolphins that it would fly a foreign flag on one of its vessels that sail the Adriatic if the ministry continues to insist on a doubling in the size of crews on high-speed vessels.

Ferry lines oppose the merchant marine minister’s recent decision to boost the number of staff on high-speed vessels. Mr. Papoutsis says a doubling in staff on high-speed vessels would help cut overtime and increase passenger safety, but ferry companies believe the cost would be excessive.

So far, only the Lesvos Maritime Company (NEL) has moved to employ more staff while Minoan Flying Dolphins and Blue Star Ferries (Strintzis Lines) have submitted proposals for a reduction in services.

Blue Star’s Gerasimos Strintzis also requests that the decision be suspended until the end of the summer season.