Port authority to acquire 11 boats for transfer of patients from islands
The port authority is set to acquire 11 boats that will be used to transfer patients from islands to hospitals, under an agreement signed on Monday between Maritime Affairs and Island Policy Minister Christos Stylianides and the Greek subsidiary of a Danish maritime safety equipment manufacturer.
The 11-meter-long vessels will service the islands of Thassos, Psara, Agios Efstratios, Fourni, Kea, Lipsi, Kassos and Zakynthos, as well as from northern Evia and the Cretan cities of Sfakia and Ierapetra.
The cost of the vessels, which will be provided by Viking Norsafe Life-Saving Equipment Hellas, comes to €6.6 million, which will be jointly funded by national and European Union funds.
The ministry said the all-weather vessels will contain a special door to allow the transfer of patients to wheeled stretchers.
The two marine-type diesel engines on each boat have a maximum speed of over 40 knots. The vessels will have a radius of operation of over 300 nautical miles.
