«Green light for the launch of waterways in Corfu and Paxos

The «green» The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport gave the go-ahead for the launch of the Corfu and Paxos waterways following the completion of the inspection procedures for the Corfu and Paxos waterways by the competent Waterway Committee.

During the inspections, no issues or findings were identified regarding the infrastructure and equipment of the two waterways, resulting in the renewal of their licenses.

The operator of the Corfu and Paxos waterways is the joint venture «Northern Ionian Waterways, Ltd.,» whose partners are «Hellenic Waterways» and the «Corfu Port Authority.».

As the president of the company «Hellenic Seaplanes,» Tassos Govas, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), «Starting with the renewal of the licenses for the Corfu and Paxos waterways, with the remaining waterways mentioned above to follow, we are moving forward with the creation of the first sustainable seaplane network in the wider region of Western Greece.”.

»It is clear that the introduction of seaplanes will be a landmark project that will revitalize local economies by boosting tourism, while at the same time improving the daily lives of residents byby helping to meet their transportation needs,” Mr. Govas emphasized.

For his part, Spyros Zervopoulos, CEO of the Corfu Port Authority «OLKE S.A.,» told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) that «the first two seaplane bases in Greece to be licensed under Law 4146/2013, the Corfu and Gaios (Paxos) seaplane bases have successfully completed their certification in accordance with the transitional provisions of the new institutional framework for seaplane bases (Law 4663/2020), and their establishment and operating licenses are now in effect.

«Corfu Port Authority S.A.» (OLKE S.A.), the holder of these licenses, in addition to its satisfaction with this development, believes that the operation of seaplanes, which provides an additional transportation option, will contribute to the further development of the region and, by extension, the country.’.

Furthermore, in a statement issued yesterday, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport noted that «Corfu and Paxos are now able to accommodate seaplane flights, as the permits for the establishment and operation of their waterways have entered into force, following relevant decisions by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, responsible for Transport, Mr. Michalis Papadopoulos. These licenses were certified following the completion of the Waterway Commission’s inspection of «Corfu Port Authority S.A.» (OLKE S.A.) and cover the maritime area of the Port of Corfu, in Corfu, and the maritime area of the Port of Gaios, Paxos, in Paxos. The certification of the two waterways was carried out in accordance with the transitional provisions of the new regulatory framework, since in 2014, during the term of office of Mr. Michalis Papadopoulos, these seaplane bases had been licensed, but those specific licenses remained inactive for many years. Establishment permits have also been granted for the Volos and Rethymno seaplane bases, where the construction of facilities—such as a floating pier, mooring points, and a passenger service building, so that operating permits can also be granted for these sites. The process of bringing the operating permit for the Patras seaplane base into compliance is also underway. At the same time, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport is currently reviewing another 25 applications for waterway permits, of which 20 concern the issuance of an establishment license and five concern both an establishment and an operating license (Skyros, Alonnisos, Skopelos, Patmos, and Tinos).

On the occasion of the certification of the establishment and operating licenses for the seaplane bases in Corfu and Paxos, the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, Michalis Papadopoulos stated, in an announcement published by the relevant ministry, that «After many years, the first concrete steps are now being taken toward the creation of a seaplane airport network in our country. Corfu and Paxos now have the infrastructure to accommodate seaplane flights, and I hope that, provided there is investor interest, Greece will soon acquire a new mode of air transportation that is well-suited to its geography and will make a catalytic contribution to tourism, the economy, and national cohesion.».

It should be noted that, according to Mr. Gkovas, «the Patras waterway is set to be updated, and this will be followed by the licensing of the waterways in the Diapontia Islands (Othonoi, Ereikoussa, Mathraki), the Ioannina Lake waterway, and the remaining Ionian Islands,» while «the goal of creating a waterway network in the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, and other island, coastal, and lakeside regions is also underway,» he said.