The deputy minister for Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Stefanos Gikas paid a visit to Chania at the beginning of the week to consult with local government representatives about possible developments in marine tourism and infrastructure.
Visiting the harbour in Kolymbari, Mr Gikas responded positively to the municipality’s proposal for part of it to be transformed into a marina with the installation of pontoon quays, but he was less encouraging about the proposed extension of the port of Kissamos, the cost of which is estimated at €30 million. After visiting Kissamos and Kolymbari he met with the Deputy Regional Governor for Chania Nikos Kalogeris, while on Tuesday 3rd September he was at Chania city hall for a meeting with the mayor Panagiotis Simandirakis.
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with the Deputy Governor, which was attended by local MPs Sevi Voloudaki and Alexandros Markogiannakis and other political representatives, Mr Gikas said: “I visited the new, very impressive harbour which has been built in Kolymbari and the facilities which have been created. It is a harbour which could be developed even further and we discussed with the president of the Port Authority and the mayor the possibility of developing a marina there, which is also the view of the MPs. It could give a major boost to the wider area, which in any case is being developed with 5-star hotels.”
Kolymbari harbour has seen greatly increased use since its recent remodelling, and there is now a proposal to create a marina with floating jetties in the inner harbour.
On his contacts in Kissamos he said: “We went to the port of Kavonisi, where the head of the Port Authority raised the issue of the port’s further development. It is something which the mayor and the Ports director can put forward during a future funding round. At the moment significant harbour works have been secured for Chania and I do not see us approving the extension of the port of Kavonisi in the current round.”
Asked why the marina planned for Kissamos in 2011 had never materialised, the deputy minister replied that at that time tourist harbours were the responsibility of the Tourism ministry but that there are plans for the responsibility to pass to the ministry of Maritime Affairs from 1st January 2025, adding that he is in favour of such projects proceeding.
Speaking to Haniotika Nea, Deputy Governor Nikos Kalogeris observed that Chania “has a whole heap of harbours and a tremendous coastline. From the port of Souda which is of national importance to the smallest fishing harbour – all have their needs. We raised with the deputy minister the issue of cruises, which have increased by leaps and bounds in the past few years and where some infrastructure developments are needed for which plans have already been prepared, and which we want to get funding for. Especially with the crisis in the Middle East, we have had many arrivals of cruise ships to date.”
On Tuesday 3rd September, Mr Gikas was received at the Chania city hall by the mayor Panagiotis Simandirakis, together with the head of the Municipal Council Manolis Karagiannis, the President of the Municipal Port Authority Manolis Kotsifakis, and the deputy mayors for Finance and Digital Policy Tasos Aloglou and Hygiene, Environment and Green issues Michalis Toupakis. Also present at the meeting were Sevi Voloudaki and representatives of other Chania MPs.
Talking to the local press afterwards, the mayor said: “We were especially pleased to welcome Mr Gikas, whose knowledge and willingness to support issues concerning the functioning of the Municipality of Chania, and chiefly of the Municipal Port Authority, were made clear during the discussion. Naturally, we also mentioned the overall planning on the part of the government and the ministry of Maritime Affairs to encourage the creation of a network of marinas so as to bolster marine tourism. In the coming period we will extend our efforts to get these plans on the road to implementation.”
Thanking the mayor for an especially constructive meeting, the deputy minister said: “We touched on various issues to do with the development of the marine tourism sector, as well as the management of the immigration issue in the Nomos. I will be supportive, within the extent of my responsibilities and my powers, of any programme there is for the further development of marine infrastructure on the island and of installations for marine tourism.”
During the meeting, the president of the Municipal Port Authority Manolis Kotsifakis informed the deputy minister about the understaffing of his service and of the municipal council’s plans to create a marina in the Nea Hora area, which the deputy minister described as “a very attractive proposition which should draw a lot of interest from investors”.
(Haniotika Nea 03/09/24, Municipal press release)