Santorini to build new port to evacuate tourists in the event of earthquakes

24-02-25

Greece has officially announced the construction of a new ferry port on the island of Santorini with the primary objective of facilitating the safe and rapid evacuation of tourists and residents in the event of a major earthquake. This project comes in response to growing concerns about seismic activity in the area, given that Santorini is located in one of the most active seismic areas in the Mediterranean, where significant earthquakes have historically been recorded.

Currently, Santorini's main port, located in Athinios, has limited capacity, which has been a cause for alarm in the face of a natural emergency. During the high season, the island receives thousands of tourists from all over the world on a daily basis, which could represent a critical challenge for the local authorities in terms of organisation and logistics, especially under extreme circumstances such as those generated by an earthquake.

The new port, to be located on the east coast of the island near the town of Monolithos, has been carefully designed to ensure not only efficient evacuation in case of emergency, but also to improve the overall accessibility of Santorini. This project includes modern facilities that will allow the simultaneous berthing of several large ferries, which will facilitate a much smoother and orderly flow of passengers.