Greece Allocates €33.7m to Coastal Shipping, Island Entrepreneurship

The Greek shipping ministry announced recently that it would be allocating 33.7 million euros to the islands to support entrepreneurship and coastal shipping in the aftermath of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

More specifically, island-based companies eligible for the transport discount, will receive 11.2 million euros; 15 million euros have been set aside to ensure ongoing maritime transport services to island regions; and lastly, the ministry has allocated 7.5 million euros to cover 50 percent of coastal shipping service contracts for the months of February, March and April.

These “realistic” and “sustainable” actions are aimed at “strengthening liquidity in sectors such as coastal shipping and island entrepreneurship, which have fallen into disrepair due to the pandemic”, said Shipping Minister Yiannis Plakiotakis.

The minister went on to add that a special scheme was being drawn up to offer support to coastal shipping services hit by the coronavirus health crisis.

Agios Efstratios. Photo © Facebook – ΟΙ ΟΜΟΡΦΙΕΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΑΣ ΜΑΣ

At the same time, the transport discount scheme covering fuel effective for 34 remote Greek islands has been extended to July 31. Petrol stations participating in the program will be subsidized with 0.13 euros per liter of gasoline (95 octane) transported to the islands that do not have at least one permanent storage facility, and with 0.06 euros per liter for the gasoline to islands which have at least one storage facility

Residents from the following islands are eligible for the discount known as dubbed “metaforiko isodynamo” (or transport equivalent): Agathonisi, Agios Efstratios, Agios Minas, Alimia, Anafi, Antipila, Arkia, Armatia, Astypalaia, Gyali, Donousa, Errikousa, Irakleia, Thymena, Ikaria, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kastelorizo, Kinaro, Koufonisia, Kos, Levitha, Lipsous, Leros, Lesvos, Lemnos, Mathraki, Marathos, Nimos, Nisyros, Othonous, Oinousses, Patmos, Samos, Samothraki, Saria, Stroggyli, Symi, Syrna, Schinousa, Telendos, Tilos, Farmakonisi, Fournoi, Chalki, Chios, Psara and Pserimos.