The Panhellenic Union of Merchant Marine Seamen (PENEN) has called a 24-hour strike on passenger and vehicle ferries departing from the port of Rafina on Friday, 3 July, 2026.
The strike will begin at 06:00 on Friday and end at 06:00 on Saturday, 4 July.
A strike rally has been scheduled for 10:00 on July 3, in front of the passenger ferry Super Ferry.
The seafarers’ union says the action is centered on safety concerns affecting both crews and vessels, arguing that Rafina Port’s existing infrastructure is no longer capable of accommodating the current volume of ferry traffic.
According to PENEN, the port has berthing capacity for around five vessels, yet it currently serves 11 ferries, forcing several ships to remain at anchor outside the harbor or to carry out repeated maneuvres to change berths.
The union described Rafina’s anchorage as unsafe and hazardous, claiming that ferries are routinely required to remain offshore because of the shortage of berthing spaces.
PENEN also highlighted the impact of current operating arrangements on crews, citing excessive workloads, fatigue, limited rest periods and the prolonged absence of seafarers from their families. It argued that these conditions pose serious risks to both crew welfare and maritime safety.
According to the union, captains operating on the Rafina routes addressed a public meeting for the first time, describing the difficulties and risks they face during berthing and anchoring operations on a daily basis.
PENEN’s president also criticised ferry operators, calling on them to pay crews in full for overtime worked, which he said results directly from the current system of anchoring and repeated vessel movements.
Representatives of other maritime unions and civic organisations took part in the mobilisation, including the SAVE RAFINA network of local associations, who reiterated their opposition to plans to expand the port.
The union said it has already served formal legal notice on the government, the Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Ministry, and the ferry operators concerned, in accordance with the legal procedures governing strike action. It has called on its members to participate in large numbers in the 3 July strike.
The announcement follows a three-hour warning work stoppage held on Friday, from 19:00 to 22:00, which was accompanied by a protest gathering at the port of Rafina.
