The South Aegean Regional Council has decided to establish a waterways network with 25 seaplane airports in on Dodecanese and Cyclades islands.
The aim of the waterways system is to resolve consistent transportation needs the islands face, especially during winter. The network will interconnect the islands and connect islanders to the mainland and the capital.
At the same time, the network creates a significant development perspective, boosting tourism and creating an investment-friendly environment.
In a meeting of the South Aegean Regional Council on Astypalea on Friday, a new institutional framework was decided for 23 program contracts for the design, construction, establishment and operation license for an equal number of waterways on islands of the South Aegean. It has also decided for two new program contracts with local municipal port funds for waterways on Mykonos and Sifnos.
The program contracts are for waterways Astypalea, Leros, Lipsi, Rhodes, Kos, Tilos, Halki, Kastellorizo, Karpathos, Kassos, Nisyros, Kalymnos, Symi, Syros, Milos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Kythnos, Kea, Amorgos, Andros , Sikinos and for two new program contracts for the establishment and operation of waterways on Mykonos and Sifnos.
The ministries of Shipping and Island Policy responded positively to the regional authority request on the need to modernize the current institutional framework, which had hindered the establishment of a waterways network in the past.
Hydroplanes will serve as an alternative way to travel, an additional transportation choice, they will provide auxiliary and supplementary services throughout the year.
The bill on the establishment and operation of waterways is in the consultation phase, which ends on September 5.
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