Increased wage costs, increases in the prices of spare ships and marine fuels, as well as the increase in bank lending rates for shipping companies, make impossible for now any discussion of the reduction of the price of ferry tickets. This is what he points out while speaking to APE-MPE president of the Association of Passenger Shipping Businesses, Dionysis Theodoratosreporting that the last increases in ferry tickets were around 15% and took place in 2022.

He also points out that based on the data of April 2024 the prices of coastal fuel for HSFO and VLSFO types used by conventional vessels have increased by 9%, the cost of spare parts by 14% and by 24% from 2021 respectively crew feesbased on the relevant collective labor agreements that have been signed to date.

He also notes that the cost of bank borrowing due to rising interest rates from banks increased by 43% in 2024 compared to 2021.

Fares at the same levels from 2022

According to information given to APE-MPE by the president of SEEN, Mr. Dionysis Theodoratos:

  • The economy class with an individual ticket and a conventional ferry on the Piraeus Syros route in 2024, 2023 and 2022 was 45.50 euros.
  • On the Piraeus-Tinos line, the individual ticket with a conventional ferry in 2022 and 2023 was 49 euros, while in 2024 it was 38.50 euros.
  • On the Piraeus-Paros line, the individual ticket with conventional ferries was 50 euros in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
  • Besides, on the Piraeus-Santorini route, the individual ticket was 58 euros in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
  • For the Piraeus-Rhodes line, the individual ticket with a conventional ferry was 91 euros for 2022-2023-2024.

For August itineraries where passenger traffic is increased in 2022, 2023 and 2024,

  • the individual fare with a cabin on the Piraeus-Mytilini line was 90 euros per person,
  • on the Piraeus-Chios line at 82.50 euros,
  • on the Piraeus-Rhodes line at 139 euros,
  • on the Piraeus-Santorini line at 105 euros,
  • on the Piraeus-Chania line at 124 euros
  • on the Piraeus-Patmos line at 118.50
  • on the Piraeus-Heraklion line at 96 euros and
  • on the Piraeus-Kos line at 126.50.

For speedboats in 2023 and 2024 h Financial position the person on a speedboat

  • on the Naxos-Folegandros line it is 76.70 euros
  • on the Naxos-Santorini line at 59.70
  • on the Naxos-Mykonos line at 57.70 euros in 2024 and at 49.70 in 2023
  • on the Mykonos-Amorgos line at 98.70 euros in 2023 and at 89.70 in 2024,
  • on the Milos-Amorgos line at 105.70 and
  • on the Milos-Santorini line at 103.70 euros in 2023 and at 93.70 in 2024.

Vivanoda’s online platform reports that Greece is in the 11th place in Europe as the most expensive country to travel by ship (as of 2023).

Taking the average price per person for a 100km trip, Turkey is in first place, followed by the United Kingdom, Iceland, Morocco, Italy, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Malta, and Greece in 11th place.

The price index for coastal ferry routes in Greece has increased by 3.6% compared to 2023.

The ferry routes from Turkey to the Greek islands (especially the Chios – Cesme route) are by far the most expensive, while the routes to Italy are the cheapest.

Patras and Igoumenitsa from Venice or Ancona, as well as the route between Mykonos and Lemnos are among the cheapest coastal ferry routes in the country.

“Precise” the green transition

As explained by the president of the coastal shipping lines, Mr. Dionysis Theodoratos, in the context of the renewal of the coastal shipping fleet towards the “green” transition for 2024, the average age of the ships serving the coastal shipping lines will now reach 30 years.

It states that out of a total of 115 ships, 50 of them (43.5%) are already over 30 years old, while their average age in 2030 will be 36 years and there will be 15 ships over 50 years old.

He adds that within the framework of the package of measures entitled “Fit for 55” for the climate approved in 2023 by the European Commission, a series of EU legislation concerning Shipping was revised, such as the gradual expansion of the European Emissions Trading System ( ETS) in maritime transport by 2026 and the expected difficulties in complying with the new legislation on clean fuels (FuelEU Maritime Initiative) which are estimated to increase the operating costs of the shipping industry.

“The shipping companies will be obliged to buy certificates and deposit them for 40% in 2024, 70% in 2025 and 100% of their verified emissions based on the MRV regulation from 2026, while for Greece the obligation concerns the coastal lines to/from Crete and the Adriatic” he notes.

He also emphasizes that scheduled coastal shipping lines connecting islands with a population of less than 200 thousand permanent residents to other ports within the same country are exempted from this obligation until 2030. “Without renewing the fleet, joining the ETS will put a burden on the operating costs of the ships,” he emphasizes.

Increase in passenger ferry traffic

There was an 8.1% increase in passenger traffic in the first five months of 2024 in the coastal ferry compared to the same period in 2023.

In particular, 3,100,541 passengers traveled on coastal ferry ships to various destinations from 01/01/2024 to 05/31/2024 compared to 2,868,768 passengers in the same period last year.

In the vehicle segment there was an increase of 7.2% since in the first five months of 2024 a total of 430,258 vehicles were traded compared to 401,430 vehicles in the same period of 2023.

Also in the truck sector from 01/01/2024 to 05/31/2024 216,519 heavy vehicles were traded against 209,750 in the same period of 2023