Survival fight for the Greek shipping companies

August has arrived and the shipping companies are giving, for the second consecutive year, the struggle for survival in the middle of a new wave of pandemics. The rough statistics that we know show an increase in traffic compared to 2020 by 50% -60%. At the end of the year there will be a fund.

According to data from the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies , the Cyclades show the largest increase in traffic compared to the summer of 2020 with a percentage that ranges between 55% -60%.

The Dodecanese follows with an increase rate of 50%. It is followed by the islands of the Northeast Aegean with a 40% increase compared to last year and Crete with a 30% increase compared to 2020.

If the percentages remain at 50% increased compared to 2020, then compared to 2019 the traffic will be reduced by 35%.

According to the latest data of SEEN, with the current data and trends at the end of 2021, coastal shipping will have losses of 100 million euros.

“Burn” the fuel
The jump in fuel prices also creates an economic problem. It is 50% -60% more expensive with no prospect of reduction. The result will be the accuracy of the fuel to absorb the 2021 increase in coastal shipping .

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In 2021 the ton for conventional ships costs 430 euros, while in 2020 it cost 280 euros, an increase of 53.7%. For speedboats it costs 530 euros while in 2020 it cost 330 euros, an increase rate of 60.6%. It is estimated that shipping companies spend the current period 15 million euros per month to cover fuel costs, when in April 2020 they spent 9 million for the same routes.

In terms of the number of routes, it is approaching that of 2019. More specifically, in August 2019, 5,800 routes were operated on the main lines. In the same month, in 2020, there were 4,200 itineraries, a decrease of 30%. In 2021 the planned itineraries are approaching 5,800.