Greek shipping minister says fuel policy has limited pressure on energy costs

Athens, Greece. Shipping and Island Policy Minister Vassilis Kikilias said Greece’s shipping policy had helped prevent additional energy costs from reaching the wider economy. In an interview with Real News, he discussed marine fuels, ferry fares, passenger traffic and the Hellenic Coast Guard, as well as migration and wider economic pressures.

Fuel costs and household pressures

Kikilias said inflation, high energy costs and rising food prices were affecting households, particularly the most vulnerable. He attributed the pressures to international disruption, citing the war in Ukraine and what he described as the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

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He said the government’s position on shipping fuels had prevented billions of euros in taxes from being imposed between 2027 and 2035. Those costs would ultimately have been passed on to the wider economy, he argued.

Describing the cost of living as the biggest problem facing families, Kikilias said available fiscal capacity would be used to provide support for as long as the pressure continued.

Ferry fares and passenger traffic

Kikilias said ferry ticket prices had been contained over the past two years despite difficult market conditions, calling this evidence of the results of government policy.

Passenger traffic at Attica’s ports reached 3,193,602 during the summer season, up 4 per cent from the same period last year.