Ferry ban in force at Rafina and Lavrio as gale-force winds disrupt travel

Strong northerly winds and gale-force meltemi winds are sweeping across Greece, with gusts locally exceeding 100 km/h and causing significant disruption to ferry services on Friday (14/08).

A ferry sailing ban was imposed on the ports of Rafina and Lavrio on Friday morning, leaving vessels docked, although services to Marmari were operating normally.

Strong winds are also affecting departures from Piraeus, although the situation there is different. The Blue Star Paros service to Syros, Tinos and Mykonos was cancelled, while other ferries are departing, with individual sailings depending on decisions by ship captains and the conditions encountered in the Aegean.

In practice, vessels may change the order in which they call at islands or skip a scheduled port altogether if weather conditions make it unsafe to approach.

Services from Piraeus to the Saronic Gulf islands are currently operating without disruption.

Passengers due to travel are advised to contact their ferry company or the relevant port authority before heading to the port, as schedules may be changed at short notice depending on weather conditions.

Wind gusts of up to 113 km/h on Friday

Meteorologist Thodoris Kolydas has drawn particular attention to wind gusts, stressing that the Beaufort scale alone does not provide the full picture of the conditions at sea.

According to data presented through his Wind Intelligence charts, Friday is expected to be the more difficult of the two days for sea travel.

In the central Aegean, the Kafireas Strait and the South Evian Gulf, sustained winds are forecast to reach 7 and locally 8 Beaufort, while gusts could range between 103 and 113 km/h.

In the South Evian Gulf, maximum gusts could reach 113 km/h, while in the Kafireas Strait and central Aegean they are expected to reach around 103 km/h. Very strong gusts are also forecast for the northeastern and northwestern Aegean.

Kolydas also stressed that these are not expected to be brief bursts of strong wind, with severe conditions likely to persist for several hours across a number of maritime areas.

Strong meltemi winds to continue on August 15 – Gusts up to 126 km/h

The difficult conditions are not expected to end on Friday. On Saturday, August 15, traditionally one of the busiest days of the summer for ferry travel in Greece, winds will remain particularly strong.

The Risk Assessment Committee forecasts winds of 6 to 8 Beaufort across the North and East Aegean islands, while in Attica, Boeotia and Evia they are expected to reach 6 to 7 Beaufort and temporarily 8 Beaufort locally.

In the central Aegean and northern Cyclades, winds are forecast at 7 to 8 Beaufort and temporarily up to 9 Beaufort.

According to data presented by Kolydas, the focus on Saturday will shift towards the central and southern Aegean, particularly the Cretan Sea, where gusts could reach as high as 126 km/h.

Maximum gusts in the central Aegean and Kafireas Strait are estimated at around 97 km/h, while in the northeastern Aegean they could reach approximately 103 km/h.

What ferry passengers should know

Passengers planning to travel to the Cyclades, Dodecanese, Crete or other Aegean destinations are advised to closely monitor announcements from port authorities and ferry companies before departure.

As Kolydas notes, it is important to take into account not only average wind speeds measured on the Beaufort scale but also the duration and peak intensity of gusts, which can be considerably stronger.

The conditions could result in delays, cancellations or changes to ferry schedules, particularly for smaller vessels and high-speed ferries.