Shipping Minister Vassilis Kikilias presented on Thursday in Parliament a package of measures to support coastal shipping, amounting to €55-57 million, aimed at containing fare prices.
This is a package of measures that was decided in consultation with the coastal shipping industry before Easter, so that ticket prices remain unchanged, and is linked to the compensation of coastal shipping companies by the state for the mandatory discounts they provide to specific categories of travelers.
As the minister pointed out, this initiative is being taken in the difficult circumstances, as shaped by the war in the Middle East and the increase in fuel costs. Kikilias said that the government’s main objective is to prevent the increase in fuel costs from being passed on to passengers and to maintain ticket prices at affordable levels, while ensuring unhindered access to the islands. He underlined that the sharp fluctuations in international oil prices significantly burden the operation of ferry companies, as each increase of $10 per barrel entails additional costs that can reach up to €10 million per month.
The total cost of the crisis is already estimated at between €36-40 million, creating pressure on both the sustainability of the sector and the daily lives of citizens who depend on sea travel. With the package of measures being promoted, the state undertakes to cover the cost of the mandatory discounts already provided by ferry companies. In this way, the companies are strengthened, without passing on the additional cost to passengers, while at the same time creating conditions of stability for the market.
Kikilias noted that this intervention has a strong social dimension, as it covers a wide range of social groups that are already entitled to mandatory discounts on ferry tickets, such as students with a 50% discount, children with discounts of up to 75% or complete exemption depending on age, large families with a 50% discount, people with disabilities and reduced mobility with a 50% discount, the needy with complete exemption and their companions.
At the same time, special categories are also covered, such as permanent residents of small islands, within the framework of island policy. In this way, it is ensured that the discounts are maintained in their entirety, without burdening either citizens or the sustainability of the routes.