On Wednesday, the Cyprus-Greece ferry embarked on its first trip, setting sail from Limassol port and heading to Piraeus with 156 passengers on board. The event was celebrated by Cyprus Deputy Minister of Shipping Marina Hatzimanoli, Limassol Mayor Nikos Nicolaides, executives from contracting company Scandro Holdings, and other partners.
Hatzimanoli emphasized that the ferry was a priority for the ministry and expressed confidence in the success of the second season, which has already garnered 7,000 reservations. Nicolaides hoped that this season would surpass the previous one in terms of success and recalled his experience as a passenger on the ferry’s maiden voyage a year ago. The revived Cyprus-Greece ferry, which commenced in mid-June 2022, concluded its last voyage for the season in September 2022. Throughout the season, MV Daleela completed 22 round trips, transporting 7,162 passengers, 2,250 vehicles and motorcycles, and around 200 pets.
Scandro Holding stated that based on feedback from last year, the vessel will offer improved services to enhance the passenger experience. The ferry features a restaurant, cafeteria, clinic, 38 first-class cabins (accommodating 110 passengers), 68 second-class cabins, 110 outdoor seats, and can accommodate up to 100 vehicles. The reintroduction of the ferry link was made possible by special permission from the European Union, allowing the state to subsidize the otherwise unviable route.
To attract ship owners’ interest in operating the regular ferry link between Limassol and Piraeus, the government offered an annual subsidy of €5.5 million. In response to traveler requests, Scandro Holding Ltd included Larnaca port in this year’s itinerary. Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras stated that the port operators, Kition Ocean, reached an agreement with Scandro Holding to include Larnaca. The ferry will depart from Limassol port from May 31 until the end of July, after which Larnaca port will take over until September 1.
The inclusion of Larnaca port has been welcomed by local tourism stakeholders, invigorating the port and attracting tourists from Greece. The decision to include Larnaca came after the port was being revamped and Larnaca expressed dissatisfaction when the ferry link was reintroduced, initially excluding trips from their port. The journey from Larnaca to Piraeus is estimated to be two hours longer than the 30-hour trip from Limassol port.
