Kalymnos Sounds the Alarm
KALYMNOS, Greece – The Municipality of Kalymnos has issued an urgent appeal to the Dodecanese government MPs, requesting €200,000 in emergency financial support for the municipal ferry company ANEK, warning that the carrier’s financial difficulties could threaten vital maritime links serving smaller islands in the region.
In a formal letter signed by Mayor Ioannis Mastrokoukos and addressed to MPs Ioannis Pappas, Manos Konsolas, Mica Iatridi and Vassilis Ypsilantis, the municipality highlights the critical financial challenges facing ANEK despite its long-standing contribution to inter-island connectivity across the Dodecanese.
According to the letter, although the company’s vessel remained fully operational throughout 2025, the government subsidy contract covered only the months of August, September and October. During other periods, particularly in November and December, the vessel continued operating limited services on routes including Kalymnos–Pserimos–Kos–Astypalaia, which were financially unprofitable.
The situation worsened in 2026 when the vessel “Nisos Kalymnos” underwent its mandatory five-year inspection and maintenance program. The municipality states that ANEK had been assured outstanding payments would be settled by late February or early March, but the funds were ultimately released only in early June, creating severe liquidity problems.
Municipal authorities warn that the accumulation of financial pressures now threatens the company’s sustainability and are calling for immediate government intervention. The letter stresses that supporting ANEK is not merely assistance to a municipal enterprise but an investment in island connectivity, social cohesion and the transport security of remote Aegean communities.
