Sea Tourism

Fare increases in conjunction with route cuts had a negative impact on traffic to the Aegean and Ionian islands.

The Ministry of Mercantile Marine, The Aegean and Island Policy recently held discussions in Patras on the development plan of the city’s port.

Shipping giants Dubai Ports and Maersk Lines have expressed an interest for the Alexandroupolis harbor, which seems to be the next Greek port to be privatized after foreign investors took over the management of Greece’s two biggest ports, Piraeus and Thessaloniki, in regards to container terminals.

An international conference, which will focus on the role of ports as connecting hubs between maritime and inland transport, is to take place on 17 and 18 September, Minister of Mercantile Marine, the Aegean and Island Policy Yiorgos Voulgarakis recently announced.

The Piraeus Port Authority has upgraded its website www.olp.gr with useful information for passengers. Information includes a map of the Piraeus streets, access points to the port and links to weather forecasts in Piraeus and the Aegean.

Mayor of Perama Yiannis Glykas announced a new round of actions to begin in September that will indefinitely exclude access to the Perama ferry and city streets, unless economic demands are met.

Despite the fare increase, passenger traffic from Piraeus port showed an increase in June against the same month last year.

Greece can play a leading role and become a hub for itineraries in the Eastern Mediterranean cruise industry, was the unanimous outlook expressed by all leading representatives of the international cruise industry who attended the recent cruise forum CRUISEinGREECE.

One of the first foreign-flag cruise ships to begin its itinerary from Athens, Azamara Quest, docked in Piraeus last month.

Sir Selios Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyCruise, recently announced the launch of an advertising campaign that aims to initiate a conversation between Greece and the United Kingdom regarding the cultural debate of the Parthenon Marbles.