Samothrace

Hundreds of people were stranded on the port of Alexandroupoli in northern Greece on Wednesday morning after a mechanical failure on a Zante Ferries vessel.

It happened on the Adamantios Korais ferry ahead of the 7 a.m. departure for the islands of Samothraki and Limnos.

The company said that 597 passengers were on board.

Ships remained moored in ports around much of the country on Monday as winds at sea reached up to 9 Beaufort in the Aegean.

With oak and chestnut forests, waterfalls and rugged coastline, Samothraki has a wild beauty and a remoteness that sets it apart from other Greek islands.

The Adamantios Korais ferryboat will be inaugurating a new service between the port of Alexandroupoli in northern Greece and the north Aegean island of Samothraki on Monday.

The Shipping Ministry is reportedly mulling plans to improve ferry services to remote Greek islands through increased funding and a better licensing framework so that routes are carried out with better ships.
It will also seek ways to ensure that replacement vessels are always available in case of emergency.

Tourist services in Greece have become cheaper since September 1st, BNR reports. This coincides with the expectations of Greek resorts for a large number of guests from Bulgaria.

The situation on Samothraki, with the ferry connection to the island in the northern Aegean cut off for 12 days earlier this month, brought to light the myriad problems afflicting Greek ports.

The Artemis passenger ferry is from Monday to start serving the Alexandroupoli-Samothraki route which was disrupted earlier this month after the two ferries that used to connect the two ports broke down.
The route had been temporarily served by the Andros Jet ferry, which belongs to the company Seajets.

The Greek association of small businesses has asked Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras and Public Power Corporation CEO George Stassis for relief measures for businesses on the northern Aegean island of Samothraki that have suffered as a result of the 12-day suspension of ferry connections earlier this month.

The news reports about Samothraki, the northern Aegean island which was disconnected from the mainland following the breakdown this month of two passenger ferries, did not come like a bolt from the blue.