Filenews 2 May 2022
After 21 years, the sea passenger connection between Cyprus and Greece is becoming a reality, as on June 19th the first trip of M/V Daleela will take place, from the port of Limassol, thus inaugurating the new service set as a goal by the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, within the framework of 35 actions for Cypriot Shipping.
At a press conference, Deputy Minister Vassilis Dimitriadis said that "the Anastasiades Government, in the context of its social policy, is implementing a commitment to alternative connectivity of Cyprus with continental Europe".
Recalling that the last trip had taken place on October 8, 2001 with the ship Salamis Star, Mr. Dimitriadis noted that from next June "our fellow citizens, aerophobics, students, those who want to travel to Greece by car, motorcycle or bicycle or to carry diving equipment and all Cypriot citizens, will now have the opportunity for an alternative connectivity and transition to Greece, by sea'.
"We are further enhancing the maritime tourism of Cyprus, attracting Greeks to Cyprus in this way as well as wider European citizens", he said and indicated that the whole project is particularly important "because it is also in line with the policy we have announced in recent years, in order to cultivate a culture of civil society and especially of young people, so that they may love the sea more, come closer to ships, get to know shipping, experience maritime transport".
At the same time, he underlined that his reference to a project is not accidental, since it is an effort that is being made again after 21 years, with a state subsidy, while he called on the citizens to embrace it. He expressed confidence that the contractor, Scandro Holding Ltd, will offer the best possible services so that the project "is not a damp squib" and that the service will continue to operate and be viable after the end of the state support.
Vassilis Dimitriadis referred to the tender process of the open European tender, where three economic operators showed interest, but suggested that the tender was cancelled, as the interested parties failed to submit essential documents. With the guidance of the Treasury, he continued, "we activated the negotiated procedure, as provided for by law, and by the economic operators who met the criteria, only one bid was finally submitted".
"The offer was from Scandro Holding Ltd, to which the offer was awarded, after it was evaluated and found to meet all the criteria for the total amount of €16, 425,000 or €5,475,000 per year," he added.
The Cypriot-flagged passenger ferry M/V Daleela, he added, has been inspected and deemed suitable, while he will soon be going to Egypt for his test trip to Limassol port. The ship is built in 1991 with a capacity of 400 people, has 38 1st class cabins for 110 passengers, 68 2nd class cabins for 180 passengers and 110 air seats, while it will be able to carry more than 100 vehicles.
The Deputy Minister of Shipping noted that citizens should understand that this is a passenger ferry, similar to the ones we find in Greece and not a luxury cruise ship, as they mistakenly see usually in reports of television stations, in relation to the issue.
In addition, Vassilis Dimitriadis said that, for complaints or complaints in relation to anything that is not satisfied by the contractor company, citizens can inform via email to the passengerrights@dms.gov.cy.
As far as prices are concerned, he said that these were kept at lower levels than the initial estimates and specifically, for a single journey, the VIP cabin is priced at €50 per person, the 1st class single room €30 per person, the 1st class double room €25 and the 1st class quadruple room €20 per person. At €10 is the one-way cost, per person, for a 2nd class cabin, while the air seat is priced at €8. Prices do not include taxes and port fees amounting to €30.21 per person (for a single route). For children 4-12 years old the fare is €5 for a single route and free of charge for children up to four years old, while taxes and port fees in both cases are €23.06p.
As far as vehicles (up to 5 metres) are concerned, for a single route the cost of transportation is €60 and taxes and port fees are €41,72p while for motorcycles the cost is €30, with taxes and port fees being €32.96p. By decision of the Company's Board of Directors, there will be no charge for the transportation of bicycles, beyond 47 cents, for a single route, which concerns taxes and port fees.
As noted during the press conference, the CEO of Scandro Holding Ltd, Marios Michael, has also provided for the transportation of pets in a specific number of cabins, with a charge of €50 or to a kennel created on board, at a cost of €35 (for a single route).
Mr. Michael also mentioned that the company chose a ship with a capacity to carry 400 passengers and not the minimum provided for in the tender, i.e. 100 passengers, as it believes in the success of the project.
He suggested that, in addition to the restaurant, the cafeteria and the infirmary provided for in the contract, there will be a bar and a playground on board, as well as a casino, while the price for a full meal will not exceed €12.
As far as people with disabilities are concerned, he mentioned that there will be a person on a 24-hour basis to serve them, for anything they need, while those in need will have the opportunity to be accompanied by their guide dog.
The booking system was taken over by Top Kinisis Travel and as stated by its Executive President, Akis Kelepesis, the company's website will start accepting reservations from the morning of May 7th.
Moreover, in a statement to the media, the Mayor of Limassol, Nikos Nikolaidis, said that today's announcement is an important day for Limassol and congratulated the Deputy Ministry and the Deputy Minister himself.
"This service, apart from the passenger service, has wider dimensions," he said and added that "Cyprus reduces its degree of isolation from continental Europe significantly and enters a prospect of further upgrading of maritime transport as far as our Limassol, the port of Limassol, the rest of Europe and the countries of the region are concerned".
Finally, he assured that the Limassol Municipality will support and highlight this effort, "will welcome visitors who will come through this line in the best possible way, expecting that this move, along with the cruise ships that will start their operation this year, will give a huge boost to our city in everything that will start their operation this year, will give a huge boost to our city in everything that will be used. what it's about tourism."
It is noted that, according to the Deputy Minister of Shipping, on the first trip of M/V Daleela, at noon on June 19, a special ceremony will take place, at 10:00, at the port of Limassol, in the presence of the President of the Republic.
Moreover, in today's announcement, the Cyprus Chamber of Shipping welcomes with satisfaction the successful implementation of the new maritime passenger connection between Cyprus and Greece.
It is, he adds, a very positive development, a popular demand of our fellow citizens, giving the opportunity to travellers to travel to Greece by boat, while at the same time, it creates new prospects for further development of the trade relations of the two countries, as well as the economy in general, benefiting substantially the further development of the shipping and tourism infrastructure of Cyprus.
Taking this opportunity, the Cyprus Chamber of Shipping expresses its warmest congratulations to the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, for the determination in the final achievement of this project and its thanks to the organizations that supported it.
Source: CNA
