Ferry ticket prices in Greece will remain unchanged this summer, after the government slashed port fees by 50% to offset rising operating costs linked to new maritime emissions rules, according to a report by Kathimerini.
The move, announced by the Greek Shipping Ministry, comes as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) enforces stricter sulphur emissions regulations across the Mediterranean. As of May 1, the region has been designated an Emission Control Area (ECA), requiring ships to use fuel with a sulphur content no higher than 0.1% — down from the previous limit of 0.5% — unless they are equipped with scrubbers.
While the regulation aims to improve air quality and reduce health risks, it also forces ferry operators to switch to more expensive, low-sulphur fuel, raising concerns over rising ticket costs.
Before the ministry’s intervention, ferry operators had warned of fare increases between 12% and 15% for conventional car ferries, citing higher fuel costs.
“The reduction in international oil prices, combined with the initiative of Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias to impose a 50% reduction in port fees, is holding back the operating costs of coastal shipping companies,” said Dionysis Theodoratos, president of the Passenger Shipping Companies Association, in comments to Kathimerini. “As a result, the fare increases initially planned for 2024 will no longer be necessary.”
Shipping Minister Kikilias welcomed the decision, saying the government’s goal is to support families traveling between the mainland and the islands. “We are constantly working in this direction,” he said.
Market analysts told Kathimerini that the cut in port fees could put pressure on companies operating high-speed ferries to also consider fare reductions. High-speed vessels already use Marine Gasoil (MGO), the costlier low-emission fuel that is now also required for conventional ferries.
According to the Shipping Ministry’s Price Observatory, high-speed ferries on intra-Cycladic routes have consistently recorded the highest per-mile passenger costs in recent years.
