Thessaloniki Officially Welcomes New ‘Alexander the Great’ Cruise Terminal

“Alexander the Great”, the new cruise terminal opened at the port of Thessaloniki. Photo source: ThPA S.A.

The Thessaloniki Port Authority (ThPA S.A.) on Thursday officially opened its new cruise terminal at Pier 2, following a significant investment in infrastructure.

Named “Alexander the Great”, the new cruise terminal covers a total surface of 2,000 square meters, to provide quality service to the cruise ships docking at Pier 2 (quays 9 and 10), as well as their passengers and crew.

According to ThPA, the terminal, which began operations in early summer, is significantly expanding the presence of Thessaloniki’s port in the cruise sector and substantially upgrades the tourism product of the city and of the broader region, having an overall contribution to the development of the tourism industry.

“The new terminal is one more significant investment, which upgrades our position in the international port industry and creates additional growth prospects for Thessaloniki,” ThPA S.A. Executive Chairman Thanos Liagkos said.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new terminal. Pictured are: Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Christos Stylianides; Deputy Minister of Interior for Macedonia – Thrace, Stathis Konstantinidis; Thessaloniki Mayor Konstantinos Zervas; and Executive Chairman of the BoD of ThPA S.A., Thanos Liagkos. Photo source: ThPA S.A.

“Alexander the Great” is a fully-equipped terminal capable of servicing homeporting and transit arrivals, as well as more than 6,000 passengers and the crews of 2 cruise ships that arrive at the port simultaneously, on an everyday basis.

“We remain committed to implementing our investment plan for the upgrade of port infrastructure and to closely cooperating with the bodies of Thessaloniki, as we constitute a vital part of the effort for the growth of the city and of the broader Northern Greece region,” Liagkos said.

On his part, Greek Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Christos Stylianides highlighted that the new terminal further enhances the tourism product of Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, and the country as a whole.

“The development of cruise is a constant, national, growth-oriented goal, from which the country’s tourism records significant benefits,” the minister said.

Representatives of the business sector, authorities, organizations and media attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new terminal, including Thessaloniki Tourism Organization President Voula Patoulidou, Deputy Minister of Interior for Macedonia – Thrace, Stathis Konstantinidis, Central Macedonia Region Governor Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Christos Stylianides, Thessaloniki Mayor Konstantinos Zervas, ThPA S.A. Executive Chairman Thanos Liagkos and ThPA S.A. Chief Commercial Officer & Director of Strategic Communications Theodora Riga. Photo source: ThPA S.A.

The port of Thessaloniki is the first to have adopted the automated Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), in accordance with EU Directive 2017/2226.

“I would like to congratulate ThPA S.A. for this major investment, for the creation of this new, modern cruise terminal, which hosts competent authorities (Port Authority, Customs, Passport Control Service), in order for passengers and crews to be serviced quickly and efficiently,” Stylianides said.