Piraeus climbs in European port ranking
Piraeus ranks among the most dynamic ports in Europe in terms of container handling for 2017, according to data compiled by Port Economics.
Greece’s biggest port showed major growth in the handling of containers, rising to seventh spot among Europe’s ports and third in the Mediterranean. Piraeus has risen one place in the European chart since 2016; back in 2007 it wasn’t even in the top 15. In the last 10 years Piraeus has enjoyed an increase of 196 percent, practically trebling its container traffic.
This took place against a backdrop of major growth at European ports, with the top 15 recording an annual increase of 4.2 percent from 2016 and 19.8 percent from 10 years earlier. Last year was the second in a row during which the continent’s main ports enjoyed an increase in container traffic, after the 2.1 percent yearly increase in 2016.
Port Economics director Thanos Pallis, a lecturer at the University of the Aegean, says that the development of ports in Greece, the improvement of infrastructure at Piraeus, the expected growth at Thessaloniki, as well as investments throughout the Mediterranean, are contributing toward the increase in their competitiveness and the expansion of options for port users.
