Cruise sector: Targeted investments in port facilities before momentum is lost

At the halfway of the statement connected the aboriginal of cruises successful Greece was the caller rider disembarkation fee, which was implemented from July 2025, but – arsenic noted – with an “unorthodox way” successful terms of implementation and gross sharing.

Speaking astatine the 8th Infrastructure-Transport Conference, the operations manager of Celestyal Cruises and president of the Association of Cruise Ship Owners and Maritime Agencies, Capt. George Koumpenas, said that “the cruise interest was based connected assumptions that request to beryllium reviewed, arsenic it is not definite that the revenues will beryllium directed to infrastructure projects – which are the main issue.”

He besides underlined the request for targeted investments successful larboard facilities and for the improvement of a nationalist strategic program for the cruise industry, which are prerequisites for maintaining and strengthening the improvement way of the assemblage for the country.

“Without a wide plan, there cannot beryllium immoderate meaningful task readying oregon due utilization of resources,” helium emphasized, noting that dozens of Greek ports judge cruise ships, but astir of them deficiency infrastructure.

At the aforesaid time, helium highlighted the larboard of Lavrion arsenic “an important alternate gateway, which tin relation complementary to Piraeus, thanks to its proximity to some the airdrome and the Cyclades.”

The statement of the Chief Operating Officer of Celestyal was made successful the discourse of the sheet “Coastal Shipping – Shipping – Ports: Fleet Renewal and Port Infrastructure Upgrade.”

Capt. Koumpenas besides highlighted the affirmative people of the sector, recalling that successful 2024 Greece welcomed 8 cardinal cruise rider movements, while an summation of 10% is expected successful 2025.

Celestyal besides noted a akin increase, confirming that the cruise “is going from grounds to record”, but astatine the aforesaid clip faces important challenges: the expanding biology requirements of the EU, precocious operating costs and unpredictable circumstances, such arsenic the caller seismic enactment successful Santorini which affected bookings.