The ports’ adaptation to new technology will increase their commercial and tourism activities, while their administrations should invest in energy upgrades in view of the green transition in shipping, the President of the Hellenic Ports Association, Athanasios Liagos, said. He also proposed the cooperation of large and small ports for further development and central planning, while with regard to the new regulation for cruise passengers outside the Schengen treaty, he stated that in all Greek ports the entry gates have been completed in a percentage of the order of 20%. He also considers it necessary to develop and modernize the railway and road network, since their connection with the ports ensures international competitiveness.
What actions should our ports take in order to face the challenges with the aim of further development?
“The first concern of the Greek ports in order to cope with the challenges is to modernize their infrastructure, so that they become smart ports, focusing also on cyber security. In this way they will ensure faster service in their areas of activity, reduce ship waiting time and be able to increase cargo and passenger volumes, whether it concerns cruise or coastal shipping. Greek ports, in addition to compliance requirements with Greek and European legislation, should also proceed with investments to reduce their carbon footprint and in such a way that will not burden the operational costs of using their port facilities. The interconnection of the ports and cargo storage areas around the ports with the main national and international roads and the railway is also important, as in this way their services are improved. Equally positive is the investigation of further collaborations between large and smaller ports for the distribution of ships and cargo, with the aim of reducing cargo handling time and aiming to increase the volume of cargo handled, but also, by extension, to service more ship arrivals.”
How decisive is the contribution of rail connectivity of ports?
“The geographical position of our country provides a strong competitive advantage over the rest of the European countries, while at the same time the wider sector of the Supply Chain and Transport, of which our ports are also a part, is one of the most important sectors of the Greek economy. The development and modernization of the railway and road network, and the optimization of interconnection ensure the competitiveness of our ports against the ports of the wider region, contributing to the economic development of our country. In view of the primary role played by infrastructure projects, their further acceleration is deemed necessary to support the logistics sector and the development of combined transport through the interconnection of ports.
There is clearly an effort to promote projects that connect the ports of Patras, Lavrio, Rafina, Thessaloniki, Kavala and Alexandroupolis with the railway, while correspondingly the modernization and development of the road network is required for the connectivity of the ports and seamless transportation of cargo both inland and in neighboring and European countries. The acceleration of the upgrading of our country’s road and railway infrastructure to exploit the potential of its port facilities is considered of major importance for Greece’s strong development prospects.”
New Port Regulation for non-Schengen passengers: An extension has been given and the country’s ports are in the implementation stage.
“Entry gates have been completed in a percentage of around 20% in all Greek ports. The ports that currently have and operate the gates are: Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Igoumenitsa, Heraklion, Elefsis, Evia, Corfu, Kos and Rhodes. According to information from ESPO (European Sea Ports Organization), an extension has been given until the autumn of 2024. The main issue of the non-installation and operation of the gates is the lack of funding.”
