A very important step has been taken regarding the planned cruises between Izmir and Thessaloniki. Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyermet with the Thessaloniki delegation and sector representatives who came to Turkey for the start of flights at the Historical Gas Plant. Stating that the two most beautiful cities in the world will unite with the Izmir-Thessaloniki ship line, Mayor Soyer said, "Our Metropolitan Municipality will give its best support for the promotion, marketing and strengthening of this line with all its means." At the summit, which lasted for two hours, it was decided that all sectors should cooperate for the realization of the project.
Efforts that have been going on for years for the start of cruises between Izmir and Thessaloniki finally reach their goal. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor at Historical Coal Gas Factory Tunç SoyerAll details of the project were discussed at the summit hosted by . Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç SoyerArgyro Papoulia, Consul General of Greece to İzmir, Chairman of TÜRSAB Aegean Region Representative Board Osman Tolga Gencer, Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of Shipping Yusuf Öztürk, İzmir Maritime Transporters Association executives, International Road and Freight Forwarders and Agency. Owners Association President Ayhan Turhan, project consultants Michalis Triandafillis and journalist Süleyman Gençel, representatives of Levante Ferries Shipping company who want to make the cruises, and a delegation from Thessaloniki.
Dream becomes reality
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor who made the opening speech of the meeting Tunç SoyerStating that they were together for the beginning of a very important project, he said, “We came together to mature this project and talk about the next stages. Thank you for participating and supporting. This is an introductory meeting. It makes us all happy to see the dream of many years come true. There are technical details that we will talk about, subjects to be learned and questions to be asked, but I think we will do these in the process. This line will be much more than just trade, tourism, employment. The company, which won the title of owning the most beautiful ferry in the world in 2015, wants to operate this line. I thank them for joining the two most beautiful cities in the world on the most beautiful ship in the world. I know that the institutions and people of both cities will own this line. As the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, I would like to say that; Our municipality will do whatever it can to promote, market and strengthen this line with all its means. I hope we can travel together on the ship as soon as possible.”
Thanks to President Soyer
Argyro Papoulia, Consul of Greece in Izmir, stated that the project is important for the development of trade and tourism between the two countries and mentioned that a cooperation agreement was signed between the prime ministers of both countries in 2016. Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Tunç Soyer Underlining that they cooperated with the Seferihisar Municipality regarding the Samos line and that this cooperation continues with different projects, Papoulia said, “We thank our President for the support he has given to the Izmir-Thessaloniki ship line. I hope we will be the passengers of this line as soon as possible.”
3 day two ships per week
Shipowner Yorgos Theodosis, Owner of Levante Ferries Shipping, who wants to start voyages between the two countries, stated that they are ready to serve three days a week with two ships on the Izmir-Thessaloniki ship line. Tunç Soyer's support for the commissioning of this line impressed me a lot. We are taking important steps to realize the project that has been talked about since 2001. Our ship will depart from Alsancak Port in the evening and will be in Thessaloniki in the morning. It will also leave Thessaloniki in the evening and reach Izmir in the morning. There is no tour agency in the world that we do not cooperate with. With the start of the cruises, the people of the two countries will get to know each other closely, tourism will develop, and the business volume will increase," he said.
Support decision received
The Maritime Chamber of Commerce President Yusuf Ozturk of Turkey in Europe with early access to Europe's largest truck fleet has stressed the importance of the line. Recalling that the Port of Thessaloniki is a crossing point for both Southern Europe, the Balkans and Italy, Öztürk said that they would provide the necessary support for the operation of the line. The representatives of the mentioned area chambers at the meeting, Izmir will be instrumental -Selanik navigation of the formation cruise lines between Turkey and Greece and in drawing attention to the opportunity to show the natural wealth of a program, the two countries will take place in the eastern Mediterranean dock, it decided to cooperate for the start of the line time . Levante Ferries Shipping, which plans to make ships between Izmir and Thessaloniki, introduced trucks, cars and passenger ships. One of the ships is 160, the other is 190 meters long. One has 400 passenger, 60 truck capacity, and the other has 1350 passenger and 120 truck capacity.
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