Ferry and commercial ship traffic across Greece will halt on Thursday, March 5, during a 24-hour nationwide strike called by the Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation over the safety of crews stranded amid the war in the Middle East.
The strike will begin at 12:01 a.m. and run through midnight, affecting all categories of vessels operating in Greek waters.
The federation said it considers the situation in the region particularly serious and dangerous for hundreds of seafarers — both Greek and foreign nationals — who remain unable to leave the conflict zone.
The union also denounced what it called a “provocative” move by a company preparing, in coordination with the Greek government, to dispatch a vessel to the conflict zone. The plan was disclosed by a company representative during a visit to the federation’s offices.
Union leaders said no ship should depart from Greece bound for the Middle East while the conflict continues.
The Federation’s Demands
The federation outlined three main demands:
- The immediate evacuation of all seafarers currently in the affected area.
- A formal designation of the region as off-limits to ships.
- Measures by the Ministry to support maritime academy students serving aboard those vessels who are unable to return and continue their studies.
