Calls for €5 Billion Fleet Renewal Plan and More Affordable Tickets
Dodecanese Member of Parliament Manos Konsolas has called for an ambitious national strategy to modernize Greece’s aging ferry fleet, linking fleet renewal to lower operating costs and more affordable ticket prices for passengers.
In a parliamentary intervention addressed to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, the New Democracy MP stresses that the implementation of the European emissions trading system for maritime fuels is creating new challenges for the sector, increasing operational costs that could eventually be passed on to passengers through higher fares.
According to Konsolas, the transition toward a greener ferry industry is both an environmental and economic necessity, given that many vessels serving Greek islands are now more than 30 years old.
Citing a Recovery Fund-backed study, he notes that approximately €5 billion in investments will be required over the next 25 years to modernize the country’s coastal shipping fleet and facilitate the transition to environmentally friendly fuels.
The MP proposes three key priorities:
- Launching national and European funding programs to support the construction and conversion of vessels using cleaner fuels.
- Accelerating the approval and certification of alternative fuels suitable for ferry transport.
- Establishing dedicated financing mechanisms in the upcoming programming period to support fleet renewal.
Konsolas argues that modern vessels powered by alternative fuels would not only reduce environmental impacts but also help contain operating expenses, ultimately contributing to more affordable ferry tickets for island residents and visitors.
The initiative is particularly significant for the Dodecanese and other island regions, where maritime transportation remains a lifeline for economic activity, tourism, social cohesion, and everyday mobility.
With concerns growing over the future sustainability of Greek coastal shipping, Konsolas’ proposal places fleet modernization at the center of the debate on the future of island connectivity and affordable transportation.
