The Association of Cruise Ship Owners and Maritime Agencies informed the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, about the activity and importance of cruising in Greece and the development of port infrastructure.
The meeting focused on the economic benefits for local communities from the development of home porting, along with the parallel upgrade of port infrastructure, while the need for cruise ship power supplies in Greek ports was highlighted, which will contribute to improving the quality of life of residents, especially those living around the ports.
The European Commissioner has reportedly expressed his interest in issues concerning the development of maritime tourism and mainly in the activity that is developing in European ports and especially in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Tzitzikostas recognized the importance of cruising, while expressing his willingness to assist, wherever possible, in the development of the sector and the continuous communication with cruise operators.
Malta Agreement
Meanwhile, the first agreement to purchase electricity from the shore was signed by the Maltese government and Carnival Corporation, one of the world’s largest cruise companies. This is the first major port state agreement in the Mediterranean, as the EU has set ambitious targets for the decarbonization of European ports as part of the wider Green Deal and Fit for 55 initiatives.
