Hellenic Seaways

Passengers on Apollon Hellas ferry faced disruption on Thursday after the ship suffered an engine failure before its departure from the port of Piraeus. 

The ferry, operated by Saronic Ferries, was schedule to travel to the island of Aegina, near Athens, early this morning. It has 130 passengers, 35 cars, 13 trucks and six two-wheelers on board.

Passenger shipping traffic in July and the first three weeks of August rose 10% compared to the same period in 2022.

Last year, traffic had already recovered to pre-pandemic levels, rising 36% from 2021; this year, it is expected to hit an all-time record of probably over 18 million passengers, compared to 17.5 million last year.

Ships departing from the ports of Attica for the Greek islands on Monday and Tuesday were almost fully booked as people continued to quit the capital for the August 15 holiday, particularly for destinations in the Cyclades.

A list of twenty Greek islands selected as the most beautiful was announced by the British newspaper Evening Standard.

This year, compared to last year, the passenger ferry traffic from the three major ports of Attica (Piraeus, Rafina, Lavrio) is increased for the period from the beginning of July until the 14th of August, however the coastal shipping cannot "repair" the damages. of the previous year.

The new flights will connect to Skiathos, Paros, and Naxos

Three newly built catamaran passenger ships will as of next spring replace the old "flying dolphins" that have served destinations in the Saronic Gulf for more than 40 years, as Hellenic Seaways is renewing its fleet.

Another 168 refugees and migrants from Lesvos and Chios arrived at the port of Piraeus on Thursday morning, state-run news agency ANA-MPA reported.

Later in the day, the ferry Nissos Rodos will bring 15 migrants and refugees from Kos and Blue Star Patmos will transfer 14 people from Leros.

Large passenger shipping companies no longer dominate the Greek market. According to a study by XRTC Business Consultants, the big players, Attica Group (which operates Blue Star, Super Fast and Hellenic Seaways), ANEK and Minoan Lines, accounted for 38 percent of sea passenger traffic in 2018, down from 57 percent in 2014.

If Greek coastal shipping giant Attica Group, which operates Blue Star, Superfast Ferries and Hellenic Seaways, were to be put up for sale in future, Italy's Grimaldi Group would be interested in buying the Athens-listed group.