EEKFN: We hope that the cruise will not be seriously affected by the events in Ukraine

“The hope is that the cruise industry will not be seriously affected by the events in Ukraine this year,” said George Koumpenas, president of the Association of Cruise Shipowners and Shipping Operators, at today’s annual general meeting.

Mr. Koubenas said that the cruise industry in 2021, made its restart to a small extent due to the pandemic of COVID – 19. He wished the movement in the industry to be normalized in order to resume the activity in the field of new shipments that has been suspended for a long time.

He also stressed that the Union and its members, took all the necessary actions during the pandemic, with continuous interventions to the Central Administration and all relevant actors in the matter, in order to have the necessary arrangements to facilitate the movement of cruise ships. and transported – tourists. He also stressed that there was daily cooperation with the local authorities of the ports with the assistance of local agents. During the regular meeting, the members of EEKFN were informed about the activities of the year 2021, while the report of the audit committee for the financial management of 2021 was presented.

The budget for the year 2022 was also approved, while a three-member audit committee was elected to control the management of 2022.

According to data from the Hellenic Ports Association, in 2021 the total number of cruise ship arrivals in Greek ports rose to 1957 and the number of passengers to 1,316,662. The increase in arrivals compared to 2020 amounts to 732% and to passengers to 1750%.

In the number of cruise ships, in the first places are Piraeus, Mykonos, Corfu, Rhodes, Santorini, Katakolo and Heraklion.

The number of passengers is preceded by Corfu, Piraeus, Mykonos, Rhodes, Katakolo, Heraklion and Santorini.