The GREEK deputy minister of infrastructure and transport has outlined plans to invest in Greece’s rail network, with a major focus on supporting growth in rail freight from ports.
The plans include reinstating rail connections to Greece’s major ports at Thessaloniki, Volos and Kavala. The largest port at Piraeus has already seen significant investment in its rail connection from its owner, a Chinese shipping line.
Shipping lines have promoted Piraeus as an alternative to the North Sea ports such as Hamburg, as a sea journey from Asia to Greece is eight to nine days shorter. Containerised traffic via Greek ports increased by more than 4.5 times by weight from 2009.