The maritime passenger connection between Cyprus and Greece seems to have achieved its purpose, Deputy Minister of Shipping, Marina Hadjimanolis said on Tuesday, announcing the start of this year's routes of the ferry M/V Daleela, on May 29, from the port of Limassol.

In a press conference in Limassol, Hadjimanoli said that the Deputy Ministry of Shipping attached and attaches great importance to the reopening of the Cyprus-Greece sea passenger connection, which became a reality two years ago and was embraced by the public “with enormous success, surpassing every expectation.”

This year, the Deputy Minister noted, contracting company, Scandro Holding Ltd, decided that the itineraries will run only from Limassol port, with the first trip taking place on May 29, while the last one, from Piraeus to Limassol, has been scheduled for September 3. Online bookings will start on April 17.

During last year's season, she added, 7407 passengers and 455 pets traveled, while 2496 vehicles were transported, numbers which, according to the Deputy Minister, show that “the maritime passenger connection has achieved its purpose”, creating a new tourism market niche for people who wish to travel to and from Cyprus and the rest of continental Europe, with their private vehicles, offering an alternative mode of transport. Hadjimanolis said that the forecasts and data so far regarding the viability of the line, in the long term, were “positive” and expressed the wish that there would be interest from the industry in the uninterrupted operation of the service even after the end of the subsidised service, in four years.

Limassol Mayor, Nicos Nicolaides, welcomed the start of the third season of the Cyprus-Greece ferry line and congratulated the Deputy Ministry of Shipping for its efforts to make this service possible.

There there will be a total of 22 routes, six in May-June, seven in July and nine in August-September, while the fares are about the same as last year, with a small increase of 50 cents on the children ticket and around 2 euros in port fees.

Asked about the non-inclusion this year of the port of Larnaca, CEO of the contractor company, Charalambos Manoli, explained that that this was not in the financial interest of the company, since with today's fuel prices, there would have been additional costs to the tune of 6 to 7 thousand euros.

He also noted that, as in other ports, the transportation of electric cars is prohibited.