Greece is positioned in Southeast Europe, on the southern finish of the Balkan Peninsula. It is bounded by the Aegean Sea to the east of the mainland, whereas the Ionian Sea lies to the West, and the Sea of Crete and the Mediterranean Sea to the South.
Greece additionally has the longest shoreline within the Mediterranean Basin, which is why it has quite a few ports and harbours, that are essential for its worldwide commerce.
Greece primarily exports olive oil, olives, cotton, fruits and nuts, petroleum merchandise, fish and cheese to its commerce companions, Italy, Germany, Cyprus, France and Turkey.
The maritime business has all the time been a key part of the nation’s financial system. Shipping actions account for nearly 4.5% of its GDP, using round 160,000 individuals.
Greece additionally has a giant shipbuilding and ship restore and upkeep business. The 6 shipyards close to Piraeus Port are among the many greatest in Europe. In the previous few years, Greece has additionally undertaken the development and upkeep of luxurious yachts.
Let us discover the ten Major Ports of Greece on this article.
Table of Contents
1. Port of Piraeus
Piraeus is counted among the many 50 prime ports on the earth, the most important port in Greece, and the second-largest within the Mediterranean area. It lies on the Saronikos Gulf in the direction of the southeast of the mainland. It can also be a transit port by way of which vessels sail to the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Black Sea.
The port is split into three areas of operation: the Passenger Port, the Commerical Port and the Ship Repair Area.
It has a number of specialised terminals dealing with imports of coal, timber, petrol, steel, oil and industrial merchandise. Exports embody tobacco, cotton, fruits, cement, and so forth.
Apart from cargo, it additionally handles tens of millions of individuals and is the most important passenger port in Europe and one of many largest on the earth.
Approximately 25,100 ships and 11,706,200 tonnes of cargo, together with 513,400 TEU and 20,336,500 passengers, are dealt with by Piraeus Port yearly.
The container dealing with space contains 3 terminals with capacities of 1.1 million TEU, 3 million TEU and a couple of.7 million TEUs.
The cargo terminal has an annual capability of 25,000,000 tonnes, whereas the auto terminal can deal with as much as 450,000 models with a storage capability of 12,000 vehicles. Piraeus Cruise Port has 11 vessel berths with a quay size of 2800 m, and there are three terminals referred to as A, B and C.
- Terminal “A” Miaoulis is the primary terminal and is closest to the town centre
- Terminal “B” Themistocles has 2 berths and handles cruise ships whose journey begins in Athens.
- Terminal “C” Alkimos was not too long ago renovated. It has 20 check-in counters to deal with 700 passengers in an hour.
2. Port of Thessaloniki
Earlier often known as Salonica, this port lies on the northwestern shore of Thermaicos Gulf and serves as a transit level for Central and Southeastern Europe. All port berths are linked to the European Railway Network. Major cargo dealt with right here embody iron, tobacco, minerals, fertiliser, chemical compounds, oil and refined merchandise, tin, rice, grains, cement, and so forth.
The container dealing with space lies within the western a part of Pier 6. The 550 m lengthy and 350 m broad terminal is part of the Free Zone and accommodates small and medium-sized ships with a most draught of 12 m and a most capability of 550,000 TEUs.The Cargo Terminal has 14 quays to accommodate all types of bulk and break bulk cargo.
The port’s passenger terminal is likely one of the greatest within the Aegean Sea basin. It is absolutely compliant with the ISPS Code and has in depth services for catering to cruise and ferries.
Thessaloniki is a well-known cruise vacation spot, and this terminal has ferry connections with the islands of the Cyclades, the Sporades and Izmir.
About 3,000 vessels, 16,000,000 tonnes of cargo, together with 7,000,000 tonnes of dry cargo and 9,000,000 tonnes of liquid gasoline cargo, 370,000 TEU, and 240,000 passengers, are dealt with yearly right here.
3. Port of Volos
Volos Port lies on the head of the Gulf of Pagasitikos on the japanese Greek mainland and connects the mainland with Sporades and Evoia.In summer season, ferries from this port function to Mytilene, japanese Aegean and Cyclades.
The harbour is well-sheltered by a breakwater that runs from the east to the port’s centre, defending ships in any respect the piers.
Volos has 3000 m of quays that may accommodate vessels as much as 35,000 DWT, with a size of 200 m and a 9.8 m draft.
The port’s tanker berths are operated collectively by Shell, Mobil and BP. The port additionally has RORO services and the newest cargo dealing with gear.
The fundamental cargo dealt with right here contains metals, fertilisers, cement, petroleum merchandise and agricultural merchandise. Around 1300 vessels go to this port yearly.
4. Port of Milos Island
Milos Island has a big and deep bay with an anchorage defending it from the strongest southerly winds. The port consists of the harbour space, Adamas and Voudhia Bay, with the principal cargo being volcanic mineral ores meant for export and common cargo.
It additionally accommodates standard ferries and catamarans and connects the Greek island of Milos with the Greek Mainland, Piraeus and Lavario, together with islands like Crete, Anafi, Rhodes, Sifnos, Naxos, Halki, Amorgos, and so forth.
Approximately 900 ships go to the Adamas sub-port of the Milos Island port space yearly.
5. Port of Heraklion
Heraklion, or Iraklion, lies on the northern aspect of Crete Island. It is likely one of the busiest ports in Greece, working as a harbour for vacationers from Heraklion together with dealing with cargo.
It contains two areas: the small internal port and the brand new outer port. The latter has a 15 m depth and is protected by a 2390 m breakwater and handles business vessels.
The internal port has a 4 m water depth and primarily accommodates fishing boats, small craft and yachts. The ferry port of Heraklion hyperlinks Crete with Piraeus and the islands of Halki, Ios, Kaos, Syroes, Anafi, Thira, and so forth.
Heraklion exports raisins, olive oil, fruit and veggies and wine. It imports machines, timber, manufactured merchandise and cereals.
Around 3,000 ships, 2 million passengers, 3 million tonnes of cargo and 22,000 TEUs are dealt with at Heraklion Port yearly.
6. Port of Chios
Port of Chios is the principal port of Nisos Khios and lies on Chios Island within the Aegean Sea. It consists of an outer anchorage and a synthetic harbour for ferries and small common cargo vessels.
Chios Port can accommodate 2 passenger or cargo ships of 20,000 tonnes every and a passenger ship weighing round 700 tonnes concurrently.
The port’s most depth is 8.20 m, and on the southern aspect, there’s a marina with a number of fishing boats, crusing boats and yachts. The ferries from Chios ply to mainland Greece and Turkey.
Approximately 104,500 tonnes of cargo, 3,830 vessels and 502,500 passengers are dealt with yearly at Chios port.
7. Port Of Agioi Theodoroi Port
The city of Agio Theodorai lies 12 km east of Corinth. The well-known seashore of Pefkakia lies in its japanese half, lined with pine bushes and golden sand.
The west is surrounded by the large Corinth Refinery, the nation’s greatest industrial complicated, which is operated by Motor Oil Hellas. The Kalamaki hills and mountain peaks lie within the north. Some homes right here have been made to be summer season houses.
The city has a wonderful pedestrian road by the ocean, together with eating places, espresso outlets and seashore bars. The city’s central avenue is a part of the outdated Athens-Corinth freeway dotted with banks, historic church buildings, markets, and so forth.
The Port of Agioi Theodoroi is situated in Elefsis Bay in Saronikos Gulf. The facility lies west of Pachi and features a deep-water tanker terminal that handles crude oil and refinery merchandise.
The refinery, together with the ancillary vegetation and gasoline distribution system, is the most important privately owned industrial complicated in Greece and probably the most trendy refineries in Europe.
There are trendy port services for accommodating tankers with 400,000 DWT and a most draught of 21.9 m.
Approximately 3,000 vessels and 15,000,000 tonnes of cargo are dealt with yearly at this port.
8. Port of Kavala
Kavala port is located on the southern coast of the Greek mainland, close to the island of Thassos, about 190 nm north of Athens. Port of Kavala-Filippos B lies in New Karvali.
Kavala is a well-sheltered facility managed by Kavala Port Authority S.A, which manages 4 ports mendacity within the expansive Kavala area. These embody the Central Kavala Port (Apostolos Pavlos), the Commerical Port ( Filippos B) in Nea Karvali, Eleftheres Port and Keramoti Port.
The Kavala Port has a passenger harbour and a business harbour which handles RORO, leisure craft, fishing vessels, and so forth. There are extra services that deal with petroleum merchandise and fertilisers.
It has good anchorage and availability of contemporary water. The Port of Kavala is linked by way of street to Istanbul and Thessaloniki.
A liquefied fuel terminal is located east of Kavala at Near Karvali. The business port has a 400 m lengthy and 12 m deep breakwater, and not too long ago, the northern wharf was accomplished, including an additional 1050 m to the prevailing 400 m.
Kavala Port’s fundamental exports are marble, cereals and tobacco. It handles round 600 ships, 1,600,000 tonnes of cargo and 1, 500,000 passengers yearly.
9. Port of Saint Nicolas
The Port of Saint Nicolas lies on the northern shores of the Corinth Gulf within the south of Greece, in an space regionally known as Aspra Spitia.
This is a medium-sized port that receives vessels carrying bulk cargo. It has a single pier, which is 400 m lengthy, with north and south berths.
The former offers with petcoke, bauxite, coal tar pitch, aluminium fluoride, aluminium, common cargo and hydrated alumina. The South Berth handles caustic soda answer, alumina, gasoline oil and chemical compounds.
10. Port of Rhodes
Rhodes Port is located on the northern finish of Rhodes Island within the Aegean. It accommodates an outer and an internal harbour collectively referred to as the Limenas Rodos.
Rhodes Port Complex is made up of 6 harbours that span the shoreline of the primary city.
The outer harbour, together with Limenas Akantias or Acandia Port and Limenas Emporikos Port, is separated by a central mole. It accommodates cargo ships, cruises, and massive ferries.
The internal harbour is known as Limenas Mandraki and is an historic port now utilized by smaller ferries and pleasure craft.
The Rhodes Cruise Port has six piers for ships with a most size of 380 m and a draft of 10 m.
The main exports are wine and fruits, whereas chief imports are woollens, cotton, flour, tobacco, espresso, cereals, and greens. More than 700 ships and 1,624,000 passengers frequent this port yearly.
You may also wish to read-
- 15 Not-So-Known Facts concerning the Indian Ocean
- 15 Amazing Facts About Coral Reefs
- 10 Major Facts About Sulu Sea You Must Know
- 10 Marine Biome Facts You Must Know
- 10 Facts About The Laccadive Sea
Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed on this article don’t essentially mirror the views of Marine-Salvage. Data and charts, if used, within the article have been sourced from obtainable data and haven’t been authenticated by any statutory authority. The creator and Marine-Salvage don’t declare it to be correct nor settle for any accountability for a similar. The views represent solely the opinions and don’t represent any tips or suggestions on any plan of action to be adopted by the reader.
The article or pictures can’t be reproduced, copied, shared, or utilized in any type with out the permission of the creator and Marine-Salvage.
Do you could have information to share with us ? Suggest a correction
Latest Maritime Knowledge You Would Like:
8 Major U.S East Coast Ports
10 Major Indian Navy Vessels
10 Longest Fjords In The World
5 Major Ports In Cuba
10 Important Canals In The United States
10 Titanic Captain Facts You Might Not Know
8 Major U.S East Coast Ports
10 Major Indian Navy Vessels
10 Major Ports Of Greece
10 Longest Fjords In The World
5 Major Ports In Cuba
10 Important Canals In The United States
About Author
Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid author, possessing immaculate analysis and modifying expertise. Author of a number of tutorial papers, she has additionally labored as a contract author, producing many technical, inventive and advertising items. A real aesthete at coronary heart, she loves books slightly greater than anything.
Get the Latest Maritime News Delivered to Your Inbox!
Our free, quick, and enjoyable publication on the worldwide maritime business, delivered on a regular basis.