Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni has officially opened the upgraded tourist boat shelter on the island of Poros following major infrastructure works. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Kefalogianni stated that the project holds key importance for Poros, the surrounding region and the broader development of maritime tourism across Greece.
The upgrade project carried a budget of almost six million euros, funded primarily through the European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility. The investment delivered new floating piers, additional mooring berths, upgraded port structures, modern building facilities, IT systems and renewable energy infrastructure.
Poros, located in the Saronic Gulf near the Peloponnese peninsula, is a key hub for leisure sailing due to its close proximity to Athens and neighboring island destinations. Tourism serves as a major driver of the local island economy.
Infrastructure and accessibility details
The updated shelter features specialized infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging and renewable energy sources. The site also incorporates multi-functional design features and specialized access points for people with disabilities, aiming to provide an inclusive harbor facility.
Kefalogianni emphasized that the ministry has designated the expansion of Greece's maritime tourism, with a specific focus on yachting, as a high strategic priority. She explained that the initiative is part of a broader policy designed to achieve sustainable and balanced tourism growth through the development of specialized travel sectors.
According to the ministry, recent legislative updates have streamlined procedures for port construction, extra building works and harbor services. The minister noted that these administrative changes intend to enrich Greece's tourism offering, improve destination competitiveness and protect environmental sustainability.
The European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility provides funding to member states to support post-pandemic recovery and green transitions. In Greece, the Ministry of Tourism directed the majority of its allocated recovery funding into modernizing tourist ports, emphasizing safety, quality, digital services and accessibility.
Regional network and economic impact
The upgraded boat shelter on Poros connects into a broader regional network of marine facilities. With parallel upgrade projects nearing completion at marinas across Attica and the Peloponnese, Poros forms part of an integrated chain of high-standard maritime tourism ports.
Kefalogianni described the completion of the upgrade as a tangible result of her ministry's focus on creating modern, high quality and sustainable infrastructure. She highlighted that maritime tourism provides strong added value to the national economy while delivering direct financial benefits to island and coastal areas.
The opening ceremony was attended by several government and local officials. Attendees included Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Konstantinos Katsafados, Member of Parliament for Piraeus A Nikolaos Vlachakos, Mayor of Poros Georgios Koutouzis and Poros Port Fund President Konstantinos Moutzouvis.
