Checks on Greek ships and tourist vessels intensify ahead of Easter

Prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the Minister of Maritime and Island Policy, called for the intensification of security measures on ships, ferries and tourist boats, in view of the Easter holidays .

The minister, accompanied by the Coast Guard Chief Giorgos Alexandrakis, said that security measures on boats for up to 25 people, but also on ferry ships, are inspected at regular intervals beyond the extraordinary inspections. He stressed that the Coast Guard, and in particular the Ministry of Shipping, has a mechanism through the ship control sector, which can automatically act on any damage or complaint. Also, these checks, he noted, are added to the 62 local centers throughout the country.

Regarding the ferries, it was said to be emphasized that regular and extraordinary ship inspections are carried out daily, and added that checks on seafarers’ working conditions would be intensified in this context.

Passenger complaints scrutinized

Checks and inspections by the Coast Guard officials on ferries, regardless of their port of departure, will intensify.

Checks and inspections that will be carried out will focus on ship safety issues, seafarers’ working hours, overcrowded passengers, with ship damage and restoration, as well as passenger complaints on any matter related to with passenger ferries.

It should be noted that checks and inspections on ferries in the above areas are consistently carried out throughout the year by Coast Guard officers, in all destinations and in all ports of departure and arrival.