A ferry service connecting Greece with Cyprus has been extended for a period of three years, announced Cyprus Deputy Shipping Minister Marina Hadjimanolis.
The new contract for coastal shipping services between the two countries will be in force through to 2027.
The minister said the decision follows an assessment of performance indicators. More specifically, the Cyprus-Greece ferry line, since its launch in June 2022, transported more than 21,000 passengers, 7,000 vehicles and 700 pets, demonstrating the need for the service to continue, the ministry said.
The aim of the link was to accommodate those wishing to travel to and from Cyprus and the rest of continental Europe with their private vehicles.
The service this year kicked off on May 29 and was run by the Daleela ferry without a stopover at Larnaca port.
Scandro Holding Ltd. was awarded the route in a tender and was subsidized with a total of 16.5 million euros for a period of three years. The tender foresees 22 routes without an in-between stopover.
The ferry can accommodate up to 400 passengers and 200 vehicles. Services this year were set to end on September 3.
Tickets for the 30-hour voyage can be booked online.
In 2023, the Daleela transported over 7,400 passengers and more than 2,400 vehicles between May and September.
The ferry service between Cyprus and Greece was reinstated in 2022 after 21 years of inactivity.
