Greece’s cruise sector faces higher port fees, lack of national strategy
Higher costs from new port fees and the absence of a national strategy for developing the cruise industry are the main challenges facing Greece.
Speaking at the International Conference on Maritime Transport, organised in Thessaloniki by the International Hellenic University in cooperation with the Hellenic Ports Association (ELIME), Maria Deligianni, director of the International Association of Cruise Lines (CLIA) for the Eastern Mediterranean, estimated that cruise activity in Greece is expected to decline this year.
She stressed that the decline is not solely linked to geopolitical developments or incidents such as the five cruise ships that were stranded in the Persian Gulf for 50 days, but also to higher operating costs and a less predictable environment for cruise companies.
Among the additional costs, she highlighted the cruise levy, which, she said, increases the overall cost of holidays in Greece. In some cases, she noted, a family of four could face an additional charge of up to €200 through the embarkation fee alone.
She referred to sudden increases in costs, stressing that the main issue for companies is not so much their level as the fact that they are not given sufficient time to adjust to the new conditions and incorporate the additional costs into their pricing policies, effectively having to absorb the burden directly into their budgets. Companies plan their itineraries and commercial policies up to two years in advance.
Despite expectations of a decline this year, Deligianni stressed that Greece continues to hold a strong position on the European cruise map.
She noted that Greece is the third-largest cruise destination in Europe, after Italy and Spain, with around 6,000 cruise ship calls and more than 8 million passengers a year.
Globally, the sector continues to grow, with passenger traffic up around 25% from 2019 levels and expected to increase by a further 4% this year, to 38.3 million passengers.
Around 60 new cruise ships are expected to enter service over the next decade, representing an investment of approximately $71 billion.
For the Eastern Mediterranean, Deligianni noted that it accounts for around 30% of cruise activity in the Mediterranean, while remaining vulnerable to geopolitical upheaval.
The need for a comprehensive national cruise strategy was also highlighted by Kyriakos Anastasiadis, representative of MSC Cruises in Greece, who noted that a large share of cruise traffic remains concentrated in a limited number of Greek ports.
He said the goal should be to develop new destinations and achieve greater geographical distribution of passenger traffic.
Developing new ports
Against this backdrop, he proposed that part of the revenue from the cruise levy be channelled back into the sector to support the development of new ports and attract more cruise calls.
Regarding Thessaloniki, he noted that including the city in seven-day itineraries from Italy entails additional time and costs, raising the issue of providing incentives during the initial stages of a destination’s development.
Anastasiadis also referred to the transition towards Net Zero, stressing that ships being built today will remain in service for 20 to 25 years and must be able to adapt to new technologies and fuels.
According to Anastasiadis, MSC is investing in LNG and bioLNG, while its newer and retrofitted vessels are equipped for shore power connectivity.
He stressed, however, that the relevant port infrastructure must be accompanied by transparent and predictable electricity pricing.
Finally, he noted that the company’s ships can produce around 80% of the water they need, reducing pressure on islands facing water shortages, while also highlighting the need for appropriate onshore waste-management infrastructure.
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