PENEN protest for outbreaks of contamination at the Corfu – Igoumenitsa Ferries

For outbreaks of contamination on the ships of the ferry line Corfu – Igoumenitsa – Lefkimmi the Panhellenic Union of Merchant Marines (PENEN) speaks in its announcement, as, as it states, crews and passengers are forced to deal with the accumulation of garbage on ships during the voyages, a phenomenon that lasts even for days.

This situation is a dangerous source of contamination, notes PENEN, while attributing a lack of intervention by shipowners, port services and local authorities.

PENEN attributes the problem to a lack of cooperation between the Igoumenitsa Port Authority and the anti-pollution service, and notes that this situation is expected to worsen with the rise in temperature and the increase in passengers during Holy Week.

The entire PENEN announcement states:

F/B KERKYRA – IGOUMENITSA – Images of shame and foci of contamination… – Heavy responsibilities of shipowners, local, health and port authorities

Lately, the crews and passengers traveling on the Corfu-Igoumenitsa-Lefkimmi ferries are daily faced with an unacceptable and third-world phenomenon.

Garbage collected during the routes they remain on the ships for 2, 3 and 4 days constituting a dangerous source of infection.

This unacceptable situation is developing with the knowledge of the ship owners, the port services, but also the authorities of the region and the municipalities.

It seems that none of them have yet intervened to provide the required solution.

We would like to clarify that until last Christmas, ships’ garbage was transported to special bins in the port of Igoumenitsa and from there to recycling.

Apparently, differences and contrasts between the Igoumenitsa port organization and the anti-pollution service shaped today’s miserable image. This situation will worsen with the rise in temperature and the large increase in passengers and vehicles during Holy Week.

The stench is already noticeable and there is a risk of various rodents making their appearance on the ships and in this way the health of the Sailors and passengers will be put at risk.

We demand the immediate intervention of the YEN, the health service, of the region of Western Greece and the port authorities to provide the appropriate solution here and now.