Shipping fuel policy shielded Greece from further energy costs, says Kikilias

Greece’s shipping policy has helped prevent additional energy costs from feeding through to the wider economy, Shipping and Island Policy Minister Vassilis Kikilias said in an interview with Real News. Kikilias spoke about marine fuels, ferry ticket prices, passenger traffic and the work of the Hellenic Coast Guard, while also touching on migration and wider economic pressures. Referring to the effect of international disruption on households, he said society, particularly its most vulnerable members, is facing inflationary pressures, high energy costs and rising food prices. “The difficulties are unfortunately being felt across the world because of the war in Ukraine, the war in Iran with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, international disruption and the Middle East,” he said. Kikilias argued that the government’s position on shipping fuels had prevented billions of euros in taxes from being imposed between 2027 and 2035, costs which, he said, would ultimately have been passed on to the real economy. “We prevented, in other words, further inflation and energy costs from being loaded on to citizens,” he added. Turning to household costs, Kikilias described the cost of living as the biggest problem facing families and said available fiscal capacity would be used to provide support for as long as the pressure continued. He also pointed to ferry fares, arguing that prices had been contained over the past two years despite difficult market conditions. “The fact that we managed, in all this turmoil, to contain ferry ticket prices over the past two years and support broad sections of society is the clearest proof of the results of our policies,” he said. Meanwhile, passenger traffic at Attica’s ports reached 3,193,602 passengers during the summer season, representing an increase of 4 per cent compared with the same period last year. Kikilias said the summer season had closed positively for ferry traffic, while Rafina recorded a particularly strong increase, with passenger numbers rising 22 per cent to 630,864. “Our islands are a comparative advantage for the country,” he said, adding that a longer tourism season supports accommodation providers, restaurants, retail, transport, suppliers and small and family-run businesses. At the same time, he stressed the importance of maintaining stable and reliable ferry connections and safe transport. More than 2,000 vessel inspections were carried out during the summer period, he said, an increase of 25 per cent year on year, as the Coast Guard intensified checks. Kikilias praised the Coast Guard for carrying out its duties during the season, while also pointing to the wider economic contribution of shipping, tourism and real estate. He described the services sector, led by those areas, as accounting for the largest part of Greece’s GDP and bringing revenues into the real economy. On migration, Kikilias said flows from the Turkish coast had fallen by 58 per cent compared with 2025. “With these measurable results, we have to recognise that at this moment we have good operational cooperation with the Turkish coast guard and open channels of communication,” he said. However, he cautioned that there was no room for complacency, noting that Greece had experienced the use of migration as leverage in the past and therefore needed to remain prepared for every eventuality. Turning to Greek-Turkish relations, Kikilias said dialogue and cooperation with Turkey should continue where possible. “There must be dialogue with the neighbouring country and, where we can, cooperation,” he said, while adding that this did not mean Greece would take “even half a step back” on what it regards as its sovereign rights. Kikilias added that the defence of Greece’s maritime borders and its rights over the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone remained non-negotiable.