Greek Shipping: Fare discounts are coming – What was agreed at the meeting with the shipping companies

Coastal shipping companies are taking immediate steps to reduce fares for specific social groups.

According to the latest information, during the meeting at the Maximos Mansion it was agreed that there will be big discounts on social tourism starting from August 1st, which will reach up to 50%. In particular, given the participation of the state, the beneficiaries of social tourism are expected to pay 10% of the ticket value.

Discounts of up to 20% on family tickets also start immediately.

The government asked for discounts and offers

It is noted that the government staff asked the coastal shipping companies to submit proposals for discounts and offers on the trunk routes, i.e. the basic routes of the coastal shipping, immediately. As the government officials pointed out, the ferry companies must also contribute to lightening Greek family burdens.

Representatives of the shipping ministry reported that the meeting was in a good atmosphere and the liners, for their part, exposed the problems that concern the sector, such as the large operating losses of previous years, the need to renew the fleet, etc.

Minister of State Akis Skertsos participated in the meeting from the government side, along with Minister of Shipping, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, the Minister of State, Mr. Stavros Papastavrou, and the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Yiannis Bratakos, and from the side of the seafarers, the president of Association of Passenger Shipping Companies-SEEN, Mr. Spyros Paschalis, and Marios Iliopoulos of Seajets.

Association of Passenger Shipping Companies

The meeting was held to discuss the prices of ferry tickets, however the President of the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies (SEEN), Mr. Spyros Paschalis, raised all the issues that concern the sector, which serves a national project.

The dominant issue is the need to renew the coastal shipping fleet with greener ships, something that must be done by 2030.

The shipping companies have kept the prices stable in the last year although the fuel prices have decreased significantly (about 40%), as increased wage costs (+8%), mark-ups in repair and spare parts costs (+18%) and the increased insurance premiums (+29%) and the rise in interest rates are obstacles that prevent a reduction in the prices of ferry tickets at this stage.

They also point out that in previous years the sector was faced with huge operational losses, as a result of which some companies such as e.g. ANEK to face a problem of survival.

At the same time, shipping fuel was charged as claimed by the shipping companies by 100 dollars per ton after the decision of Helleniq Energy (ELPE) to change the basis for calculating the price of shipping fuel and take into account the prices of Rotterdam, instead of the Mediterranean. with the consequence that the actual drop in fuel costs will be smaller.

In addition, the need to build strong balance sheets in order to finance the renewal of the fleet, in view of the new environmental regulations, until 2030 is clear. It is estimated that the renewal of the Greek shipping fleet will require investments of 2.5-3 billion euros, just for the renewal of the existing ships over 25 years old, until 2030.

The government

The government’s message was that everyone should contribute to the national effort to relieve the Greek citizens and the Greek family due to the energy and inflationary crisis.

The government has asked the cruise lines to present proposals to the passenger public with significant discounts on trunk routes. That is, where the ports of Piraeus, Rafina, Thessaloniki and Kavala have their departure or arrival point, while they are invited to present specific discounts that will concern the service of the Greek family.