Huge new £148m cruise port approved for EU city despite major tourism crisis

Ambitious plans to expand a popular EU port have been given the green light, despite nearby outcries over the tourism crisis. The Port of Thessaloniki is Northern Greece's largest and welcomes thousands of holidaymakers every year. More than 75 cruise ships are already on the port schedule this year, with some having the capacity to hold almost 2,000 passengers. There are several days where more than one cruise ship is expected to arrive in the port on the same day as each other, meaning tourists will be infiltrating the city en masse. The port is also used for container and bulk cargo management.

According to Greek Travel Pages, a staggering €180 million (around £149.80 million) will be spent to help modernise the port's infrastructure. This is said to include Pier 6, allowing it to accommodate 'main liner container vessels with capacities of up to 24,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit)'. Boats of this size tend to be around 400 metres long and a whopping 61.5 meters wide, and will be shipping containers rather than passenger cruises.

Athanasios Liagkos of the Board of Directors of the Thessaloniki Port Authority (ThPA S.A.) said the issuance of the Presidential Decree for the works marked a 'new era' for the upgrade and growth of the port. Construction work is said to begin immediately and will be completed in the 'coming months'. "Having made mandatory and non-mandatory investments worth over €71.3 million (£59.36 million)since March 2018, ThPA S.A. is fully prepared to proceed with its development planning and the Master Plan's projects, which will have a significant contribution to and multiplying effects on the economy and society, both at a local and at a national level. For our part, we would like to thank all the competent government and state bodies, with whom we have worked harmoniously all this time for the approval and promotion of the Master Plan of the port.".

Want the latest travel news and cheapest holiday deals sent straight to your inbox? Sign up to our Travel Newsletter. While the increased port capacity might be welcomed by trade and holidaymakers, it could spark concern amongst locals. Over in Greece's capital of Athens, which is only 55 minutes away via plane, protests against over tourism erupted last year - with slogans such as 'Tourists go home' spray painted on walls in popular areas.

Katerina Kikilia, professor of Tourism Management at the University of West Attica told EuroNews the city needs 'rules' to clamp down on the crowds, adding: "Athenians face daily the social and environmental impact. The housing crisis is huge." Mayor Harris Doukas has also spoken out about the issue, arguing that tourism doesn't bring in as much money into the local economy as people think: a common argument against anti-tourism rhetoric. "Each visitor brings €0.40 to the city, and we haven't seen this money yet," he said. "We need sustainable tourism that doesn't worsen city inequalities.".