20% increases in shipping, too

Increases in the fares which, based on the shipping line and the type of ship, will even reach 20% are expected from Spring with a parallel decrease in routes. The reason is the exponential, record-level, increase in oil prices that goes to over 440 euros per barrel. The difference between 2009 and 2010 is estimated at upwards of 40%.

This was stressed by shipping circles in protothema.gr, and they said that it is a one-way street «Increases happen everywhere, in tolls, in OLP up to 100%, in public transport etc. The shipping business had to follow since it is drowning financially».

The Attica Group was first and announced an increase of 8% on average in the fares of economy and VIP classes for trips from April 1st 2011 on its domestic routes.

The company pledged «a direct and equal decrease of fares if the government decides to reduce VAT or reduce/ remove other levies to third parties». Other shipping groups are expected to follow.

The dead end in which Greek shipping has found itself means that it is entrapped in an anachronistic legal framework that has led the sector to a vicious circle. This was recently emphasised upon by the president of the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, Giorgos Gratsos: «Fresh ideas and incisive action are needed. It is not conceivable,  for example, for ships to travel many months with more crew than passengers. This creates losses that get covered with increased fares. And this is a safe recipe for financial shrinking. Many ships with light cargo pollute the atmosphere. In similar cases, airlines shorten their flights, combine them with other companies or use smaller aircraft. We cannot reach a solution by using the logic that created the problem. Due to the difficulties of accessibility, many of our islands are treated as «barren lines» because we couldn’t develop them as tourist destinations due to a shipping that offers expensive services and therefore cannot serve their development».