The Greek government approved on Wednesday the environmental terms for the operation of the second Greek waterway in the Ionian Sea island of Paxi.
This waterway will operate within the Port Gaius zone, a Natura 2000 area, designated as Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the provisions on Biodiversity.
“The aim of the ministry is to have created a waterways network by next summer that will bring substantial benefits to the economy, create jobs and contribute to the interconnection of small and isolated islands as well as the development of local communities,” Energy Minister Panos Skourletis said and added:
“The Environment and Energy Ministry has been working tirelessly to accelerate environmental licensing of waterways for which requests have been filed and simplify environmental permitting processes for future requests. We have already authorized the Corfu waterway and granted environmental licensing for Agia Marina Grammatiko, Skyros and Alonissos waterways, soon to be followed by Thessaloniki, Volos, Skopelos, Rethymnon and Heraklion.”
On his part, the president of the Hellenic Waterways, Anastasios Govas, said: “The fact that the waterway in Paxi was approved to operate within a Natura 2000 area proves that seaplanes are among the most friendly environmental ways of transport. This is a benchmark decision that will help remove any doubts and accelerate environmental licenses for waterways.”
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