Thessaloniki Sets Sights on Becoming Waterway Hub

The northern port city of Thessaloniki aims to boost its connection with the rest of mainland Greece and the islands by offering seaplane services next summer after submitting its application to the transport ministry this week for the creation of a metropolitan waterway.

The Thessaloniki Port Authority and Hellenic Seaplanes, which will run the project, are aiming to establish Thessaloniki as a waterway hub that can cater to at least four seaplanes and provide the necessary operational support to companies planning to operate from the port city.

According to the city’s port authority, the Northern Greece waterway network – with Thessaloniki as its hub – will serve via routes to and from destinations in the North Sea, Macedonia, Thrace, but also neighboring countries.

At the same time, port customs will provide the flexibility for the waterway network to expand its activity so that it can handle international flights in the future.

“This is a project of national importance, and we will soon have a viable waterways network in place that will give a new impetus to the connectedness of Greece,” said Hellenic Seaplanes Chairman and CEO Nicolas Charalambous.

“Our company has already started procedures for licensing, construction and operation of waterways along the coasts, on islands and at lakes, which will soon be interconnected via seaplane services,” he added.

Over 50 waterways across Greece are currently in the process of gaining authorization to proceed.