The modern history of our port begins in 1939, shortly after the city of Igoumenitsa was declared capital of Thesprotia Prefecture. The first regular ferry services were established in the 1950s’ linking Greece’s northwest mainland to Corfu and Paxos islands, while in the 1960s’ the historic Hellenic Mediterranean Lines, inaugurated regular ferry services to Italy. In 2001, our Port Authority was restructured as a société anonyme, with its privatization to follow in October 2023. The majority of the share capital has been acquired by a consortium of companies, featuring Grimaldi Euromed SpA as the major shareholder, signifying a new era for the port.
The completed Phase B’ and pending Phase C’ of our development projects greatly increase our port’s capabilities, particularly with regards to passenger shipping, and general upgrade of the services offered. Our strategic goal to become an important Mediterranean cruise port, is starting to be materialized with the completion of the brand-new Cruise Terminal (T3) applying Schengen borders Code (sea border crossing point), including the transfer of docking area closest to the city center (300m), therefore keeping passenger and cargo activities well separated.
Currently, about 3 million passengers, 750.000 private cars and 350.000 trucks travel through our port each year.
In the context of sustainable development, the Port of Igoumenitsa has taken on significant actions such as the construction of a photovoltaic park of 1,5 MW, application of led lighting across the facilities, considering also the completion of three On-Shore Power Supply (OPS) positions by 2026 (ALFION INFRA-CEF).
The company is committed to provide quality services to all port users, high-level Safety & Security standards, always aiming to continuous improvement, progress and sustainability. To this end, I.P.A. S.A. considers fundamental the application of an integrated management system comprising of ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, EMAS (EL-000112), PERS and monitoring of carbon footprint (since 2022) according to ISO 14064-1.
Among the many highlights that are accessible from Igoumenitsa are the numerous beaches of Syvota with amazing turquoise blue waters, the Monastery of Giromeri adorned with excellent Byzantine murals, the famous Acheron River where the souls of the dead were transported to the other side, the charming seaside village of Parga, the fascinating lakeside city of Ioannina and the Ancient Theatre of Dodoni.
