The government has secured new funding of 20 million euros, Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy for its businesses shipping, recognizing its crucial role in ensuring the adequate supply of goods and the movement of passengers and goods from the mainland to the islands.
According to a joint ministerial decision published in the Government Gazette (Government Gazette B’/5159/November 22, 2020) The beneficiaries of this new funding are shipowners —ship-owning companies and consortia that enter into public service contracts for all of the country’s open coastal and ferry routes until December 31, 2020.
With this new, substantial funding, the total support package for coastal shipping in 2020 now amounts to 55 million euros, thereby ensuring adequate maritime connections between the islands, as well as between the islands and the mainland.
Commenting on this new positive development, the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Island Policy, John Plakiotakis, he emphasized that «the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy, from the very outset of the health crisis, took steps to support both companies and employees. We protected maritime jobs by subsidizing employers» social security contributions for seafarers, we funded the contributions associated with the suspension of employment contracts, and we reduced port fees.”.
«At the same time,» he emphasized, «in close cooperation with industry representatives and the relevant ministries, we are working on extending the existing measures for 2021, as well as adding new ones, if necessary, in order to address the negative consequences of the ongoing pandemic and ensure uninterrupted communication between the islands and their residents and mainland Greece.».
