Greek Marinas: New Draft Tourism Law Introduces Provisions for Floating Docks

Alimos Marina. Photo source: Greek Marinas Association

With Greek marinas unable to fulfill demand for berthing spots, the Greek Tourism Ministry in Athens is proposing the solution of floating dock installations, making legal provisions necessary for such facility expansion.

In the new draft bill, titled “Enhancement of tourist infrastructure and education; modernization of the framework for the profession of tourist guides and timeshare leases; regulations for tourism bodies, and other provisions for the strengthening of tourism”, the ministry is allowing for the installation of floating platform berthing spaces, to immediately increase Greece’s berthing capacity.

According to Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, who recently presented the draft law to the Standing Committee on Production and Trade of the Hellenic Parliament, the revised bill “serves both short-term and long-term goals, includes targeted interventions that address important issues, and is aligned with the national development strategy”.

Olga Kefalogianni, Minister of Tourism.

Speaking to the Greek news media Naftemporiki, Efthymios Bibis, president of the Hellenic Professional Yacht Owners Bareboat Association (known as SITESAP in Greek), said that around 600 pleasure boats currently cannot be serviced in a marina within the tourist port system of Attica and continue to face issues finding docking positions.

According to the Greek Marina Association, there are 14,000 docking berths in marinas all over the country, currently not being able to cover the ongoing increasing demand.

Welcoming the new draft bill, the association noted that “new infrastructure creates new jobs, with significant benefits for local economies”.

Besides expected benefits for the Greek economy, expansion of marina capacity will also address issues of safety related to uncontrolled anchoring of boats outside of organized leisure boat ports.