Ferry services between Greece and Italy are set to resume after a key seafarers’ union voted to end a multi-day strike that had paralyzed traffic on the critical Patras–Igoumenitsa–Italy route.
The Panhellenic Union of Merchant Marine Sailors (PENEN) announced it will lift the strike following a breakthrough agreement reached with ferry operators, bringing an end to a nine-day disruption that had halted ferry connections from the western Greek ports of Patras and Igoumenitsa.
Agreement Reached After Marathon Talks
The decision was made during an extraordinary general assembly of the union’s members, who voted to accept the terms negotiated during a late-night meeting on Tuesday. The talks took place aboard the Superfast III vessel docked in Patras and involved representatives from ATTICA Group, one of Greece’s largest ferry companies.
PENEN leadership, along with its members, met with ATTICA executives, including Dionysis Theodoratos, who also serves as the president of the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies (SEEN).
According to the union, the company presented, for the first time, a comprehensive proposal addressing workers’ demands — including a new addition that had not been discussed in previous negotiations. This marked a significant shift that helped secure consensus and bring the strike to an end.
