Cyprus-Greece passenger ferry service secured until 2027

Nicosia, Cyprus. The Cyprus-Greece passenger ferry service is secured until 2027, with the government due to decide next year whether to continue subsidising the route from 2028, Deputy Shipping Ministry director Kyriakos Aliouris said on Saturday.

The existing contract, which began in 2022, has been extended until 2027.

Contract extension

Aliouris told the Cyprus News Agency that the agreement was initially concluded for three years, with an option for a further three years.

“Until next summer, the contractor is obliged to provide the services based on the terms of the contract,” he said.

“There is no issue at the moment,” Aliouris said, adding that the sea connection between Greece and Cyprus would operate normally next year.

Operator concerns

The comments followed statements by Scandro Holding Ltd chief executive Charalambos Manoli that the service could not continue without renewed state support.

Manoli said 2027 could be the final year of operations if passenger demand does not increase sufficiently for the route to become financially sustainable.

The ferry operates seasonally, from the end of May until early September. According to Manoli, passenger numbers remain relatively low outside the peak summer period, with about 100 passengers per sailing in June and between 200 and 250 in July. Sailings are generally full only in August.

“You can’t run a sustainable line for three months,” Manoli said, arguing that the vessel would need to generate income during the remaining nine months of the year.

Government position

Aliouris said the government was aware of the operator’s concerns, but noted that the subsidy was introduced because there had initially been no reliable data on demand.